Return of the New Blood
by Michael Weyer
Summary: As the final battle against the Empire begins, Buffy faces her own dark side. Conclusion of the New Blood saga. BTVS/SW crossover, all comments welcomed.
1. Chapter 1

Return of New Blood

Return of New Blood

By Michael Weyer

Buffy the Vampire Slayer owned by Mutant Enemy.

Star Wars owned by George Lucas.

Dark Reflections

**I know, I know, it's been a while but finally getting around to the grand conclusion, hope it's as good as everyone expects. As always, all comments welcomed.**

** XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

One would be hard pressed to find two such polar opposite shapes. There was Endor, a lush world covered by forests and lakes and rivers. From the perspective of space, it resembled a nearly completely green marble, glistening against the darkness of space, a world that promoted peace and tranquility.

Above it hung a shape that resembled a half-crescent moon. When one got closer, one could see it was not a true celestial object but a massive construct. It resembled a grey sphere with a massive dish on the front but was only half-completed, the smooth surface giving way to tendrils of unfinished girders and stairways, the dots of workers in spacesuits furiously trying to make progress.

In a way, this half-finished appearance, like a spider waiting to strike, that made the second Death Star more intimidating than the first. At least that's how it seemed to the figures approaching it in the Imperial Shuttlecraft. It flew out from the waiting Star Destroyer, a pair of TIE fighters alongside as escort. The two pilots tried to remain calm as they flew toward the waiting station but were unable to mask the fear from the two figures behind them.

"Death Star control, we request an immediate landing," the pilot stated.

"_The shield will be deactivated once we confirm your code,"_ came the laid-back voice of a controller from the station.

"Hurry, please," the man said, glancing back at his passengers. "They're in no mood to wait."

Inside the main control booth, the officer in charge tried to hide his boredom at the routines of a space station yet to reach full operational capacity. He glanced at the screen showing the shuttle and then the code with it. He did a double-take and his eyes widened, boredom vanishing as he recognized it. "Let them in," he ordered. He craned his head back to call to another officer. "Inform the commander that Lord Vader's shuttle has arrived!"

The words set off an uproar of action as everyone straightened at the name and busied themselves with their work. By the time the shuttle had landed in the main bay, a contingent of stormtroopers were lined up, creating a walkway for the tall and confident man striding forward.

Moff Jerjerrod was well known for his collected presence, a mix of arrogance and command that had drove him well in his rise through the ranks. It was true he was the type of man to put the blame on almost anyone but himself for what happened but he still had an authority few could argue with. He also possessed a truly ruthless streak, a man who had once ordered the massacre of an entire colony for refusing to pay taxes, proving he would brook no interference to the Empire. It was a combination that had served him well in his career, leading to this plum assignment, the command of the most powerful weapon of destruction ever created.

But even he had to feel a rush of anxiety as he came to the shuttle. He had expected this visit, of course, but had believed he would be told of it beforehand. To learn of the arrival only moments earlier put him off-balance, a position Jerjerrod was not used to. He did his best to appear calm and not affected. As he was so fond of saying "Great men never hurry. Great men cause others to hurry."

The rampway of the shuttle lowered to the deck as smoke and vapor was blown out. There was a pause before a figure in the uniform of an Imperial officer rolled down the rampway, landing in a limp heap at the bottom. His eyes were open with terror as a massive gash covered his throat with blood on it.

Jerjerrod tore his eyes away from the grisly sight to see Darth Scourge stepping down the rampway, wiping at his mouth. "Told him not to touch the coat," he said, brushing at the long black cloak hanging over his black jumpsuit. From the billowing clouds behind him strode the unmistakable figure of Darth Vader, the mechanical breathing echoing as he came down, the lights of the bay reflecting off his polished helmet.

Bowing his head, the commander spoke. "Lord Vader, Lord Scourge, this is an unexpected…"

"You may dispense with the pleasantries, Commander," Vader interrupted as he marched past Jerjerrod. "We are here to put you back on schedule."

The news wasn't unexpected but delivered in that cold tone, it still rocked Jerjerrod. "Lord Vader," he said, maintaining his calm. "I assure you, we are working as best we can. This battle station will be operational as planned."

"The Emperor does not share your optimistic appraisal of the situation."

"In other words," Scourge said, his smirk growing. "Get it done on time or we find someone who can."

That cold smile sent ice down Jerjerrod's spine but he managed to keep himself calm. "With respect, I fear he asks the impossible." He lowered his voice, a note of desperation in it. "I need more men."

"Perhaps you can explain that to him when he arrives," Vader matter of factly stated.

This time, Jerjerrod was unable to keep his face from going pale or fear showing in his expression. "The…The Emperor is coming here?" he whispered.

Vader nodded. "And he will be most displeased if you are still behind schedule then."

"We shall double our efforts!" Jerjerrod piped up.

"I hope so, Commander, for your sake. The Emperor is not as forgiving as Lord Scourge or myself." Vader's cape whirled as he spun around to march away from the room. Angelus gave Jerjerrod a smirk before following, leaving the commander to swallow as he prepared himself to increase the workload. For did not even great men need to hurry when the need was pressing?

"Think it worked?" Angelus asked as he and Vader headed down the hallways.

"The Death Star will be finished," Vader stated as fact. "We shall soon witness the final destruction of the Rebellion and the fall of the Jedi."

"And the Slayer?" Angelus licked his lips with anticipation.

"She shall be yours, creature," Vader said. "When Skywalker is mine."

Angelus' grin widened. "Hmm…gonna have some tasty treats in mind for her…" He closed his eyes as his mind whirled with the images of agony and torture…

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Angel let out small gasp as his eyes snapped open. He took a few moments to stare at the ceiling, letting himself realize he was in his usual room. He sat up slowly, trying not to disturb the sleeping woman beside him as he slid on a pair of pants. He walked out to open up the glass doorway and step onto the balcony.

Los Angeles wasn't known for its crisp air but when you go a few hundred years without breathing at all, any atmosphere is good. Angel took in a deep breath as he tried to calm his emotions. For so long he had to put up with Angelus in the back of his mind, screaming to get out, taking pleasure in Angel's pain. Now, even when he was free of the monster, even when he was now a regular (well, somewhat) human, he couldn't be free of the demon.

"It was him again, wasn't it?" Angel turned to the woman who stood in the doorway, a blanket wrapped around her, her blonde hair framing her beautiful face. "I can always tell when you think of him, the way you tense up." She brushed a blonde lock back. "I know how it feels."

Even after bouts of special treatment combinations of chemotherapy and mystic oils, Darla still looked amazing to Angel. Discovering she was alive was a shock to him, even more to realize she was human once more. Of course, it wasn't as if he didn't have enough shocks on his plate already adjusting to being human once more. It had made him wonder how he could still be a champion, even going so far as to arrange a talk with an embassy of the Powers-That-Be. Talking with a drive-thru hamburger sign come to life had been one of the odder experiences of his life but it had paid off with Angel getting a "boost" in his physical abilities. It wasn't up to his vampire standards but enough to handle the battles with demons.

It had taken a while for word of his new status to spread. Once it did, he was surprised to discover that Wolfram & Hart suddenly deemed him not worthy of attention. They still reacted when he interfered in one of their schemes but it didn't seem they needed him like they once did for whatever big plans they had. That meant that when they realized he was human, Darla was cut off and left to fend for herself.

That was how Angel found her, running about and trying to find a vampire who could turn her. She didn't want to die but saw no real reason to live. But he couldn't let her go, despite all the pain she'd bestowed on him. He did what he could to find her a cure, let her stay with him…and eventually back to his bed.

It didn't go over well with Wesley and Cordelia to say the least. In fact, Angel sometimes wondered if he and Darla had played a part in Cordelia's decision to stay in Pylea. Well, that and being worshiped as a queen which was something the woman was born to do. She had that prince after all so it couldn't too bad for her and her decision to give humans a fair chance in the land was a sign of how well she'd matured.

Being without her visions was bothersome but he managed to keep fighting on nonetheless. But still, the dreams did bother him, now more than ever. He thought he'd finally been freed of that bastard but even somewhere in space he was hurting Angel.

"He's thinking of Buffy," he carefully said. The Slayer was still a touchy subject for both for obvious reasons but Darla simply nodded. "Just wish I knew where he was…where they both were."

Darla rubbed at his back. "I know you still love her."

"Yeah," Angel admitted. "But…I don't know if I'm in love with her anymore. It's…" He let out a sigh.

"Complicated," Darla nodded. "It always is with us. I loved you even when I wanted to rip your heart out and I know you felt the same with me. It's harder with her."

"I think…sense…she found someone out there," Angel mused. "I don't know, hard to tell details with that link."

Darla was going to reply when the door rapped and then a bald black head stuck in. "Hey, boss," Charles Gunn said. "We got visitors."

"This hour?" Angel frowned as he turned back to the young man.

"Trust me, boss, gonna want to hear them out," Gunn said, nodding before he left.

Darla pulled the sheet closer around her as she let out a sigh. "That was one of the benefits of being evil, rarely got interrupted so much."

Angel made a small smile at her while he got dressed.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

A few minutes later, he was walking down the main staircase of the Hyperion, glancing about to take in the members of Angel Investigations sitting about. Wesley was at a nearby table surrounded by books, glasses off, serious as usual. The transformation of the man still impressed Angel, the arrogant bookworm replaced by a tough fighter in dark slacks and jacket.

Sitting next to him was a woman who, even at this early hour, was the epitome of cold professionalism. Despite the lateness, Lilah Morgan was wearing a nice business suit that showed off her shapely legs, her brown hair thrown back. When Wolfram & Hart had decided to terminate their operations on Angel, Lilah had been deemed an "unnecessary addition" and was due to be "downsized." Ever the cunning thinker, Lilah had been prepared for this, bolting ship to Angel with a nice portion of W&H files, files that would cause quite a bit of fuss should they be introduced to the right (or wrong) parties. With that as insurance, she was able to keep the AI team going in their fight and stay alive.

The tension between her and Wesley was still there although Angel had suspicions they had given in to their mutual attraction to each other more than once. Anything seemed oblivious to Winifred Burkle who sat nearby. While she had come more out of her shell (not to mention her room), the young woman was still a bit shy after her time on Pylea. She had let go of some of the hero worship of Angel but remained a bit in awe of him still. She gave a soft smile he barely noticed as he was too busy looking at the people in the center of the lobby. Or rather one in particular.

"Holtz."

"Angel."

As usual, Daniel Holtz carried himself with the air of a man who took the world with utter seriousness. He was dressed in his usual outfit of a long brown coat over old-fashioned pants and dark vest over his white shirt, his wide-brimmed hat in his hands. His handsome face was marked by a sharp beard and even sharper eyes that still brimmed with hostility as they took in the former vampire.

For Daniel Holtz, discovering that the monster he had spent two hundred years sleeping to kill was gone when he awoke was disconcerting to say the least. The demon he'd made the deal with, Sahjahan, had seemed more amused than anything to learn the man had given up his life for nothing. Holtz had still wanted to kill Angel despite it all and Darla as well. It took seeing them both bleeding and nearly defeated for him to fully understand they were human and that killing them would not be justice at all.

It was Wesley who had deciphered the proper prophecies that detailed Sahjahan's real intent, to stop Angel from ending his existence. Angered at being used this way, Holtz had helped trap the demon in an urn which he then weighted down and dumped into the bay. After that, he and Angel had come to a grudging truce and Holtz had left town to continue his private war on the undead.

Beside him was another familiar face, one framed by lush red hair, her athletic body clad in jeans and a dark leather jacket. Justine Cooper was apparently still working with Holz, looking a bit better than she had the last time Angel had seen her. His attention was drawn more to the blonde-haired woman standing on the other side of Holtz. "Kate?"

Kate Lockley managed a small smile. ""Hi, Angel. Been a while."

"You're working with Holtz now?"

"I see your detective skills have improved," Kate dryly said. "I ran into them doing a job in Vegas, shared some notes and figured it'd be a good gig."

Angel nodded as he glanced to Holtz. "So…what brings you by?"

"I've come across information I believe might be most beneficial to you," Holtz stated in his dry tone. "I believe we…"

He was cut off as the door to the Hyperion burst open and a blonde-haired figure clad in a red shirt, leather pants and jacket burst in with an angry look on his face. "If you lot think you can just lock me up in the car while you go running about you…"

He stopped in place as he stared at Angel, then rolled his eyes. "Oh, bloody hell, not the magnificent poof and his sidekicks!"

"Spike," Angel groaned under his breath. "I thought you'd be dead by now."

"I wish," the blonde vampire muttered as he stuck a cigarette into his mouth. He glared at Holtz as he lit up. "You never said we were coming to see him…"

"Because I knew you would refuse to come," Holtz calmly said.

"What the hell are you doing with Spike?" Wesley asked in confusion.

"I've been asking the same question," Justine muttered.

"It seems your old compatriot decided to pay a visit to Las Vegas when we were there," Holtz stated.

"You were in Vegas?" Gunn asked. "How'd you like the place?"

"May the warmed masochist who conceived that modern-day Gomorrah be consigned to the tortures of Tartrus for the rest of time, near-time and the end of the universe."

Gunn nodded before looking over to Kate. "He lost money at the casino?"

"Actually made off like a bandit," Kate said. "Guess the old card skills can work in today's world. But the shows threw him off a bit."

"Needless to say, I was not happy to see he had survived as well," Holtz said, glaring at the blonde vampire. "But when I learned that he could not hurt humans, I realized the benefits of having him working with us."

"Oh, yeah, dried blood, locked up in shackles, lovely times!" Spike snarled.

"It's better than you deserve," Holtz hissed. He turned back to Angel. "If we may talk in private?"

"My office," Angel said, nodding to it. He paused to fix Spike with a hard look. "Wes, keep an eye on him."

"Right, like tweed-man junior here can…" Spike stopped, staring at the woman coming down the stairs. "Bloody hell, _Darla?_ Thought you were dead!"

"I was," she said with a smirk. "I got better."

Spike sniffed and frowned. "Since when is human better?"

"Don't knock it, Spike," Angel intoned. "Some of us don't like being vampires."

Spike snorted. "When they changed you to human, they couldn't get the stick out of your ass? What's the hostility, we used to be mates, remember?"

"Spike, even when we were friends, we couldn't stand each other," Angel noted as he and Holtz headed to the back office. He shook his head as he poured himself a cup of coffee. "Can't believe you're putting up with that guy."

"War makes for strange bedfellows," Holtz said as he examined the pieces of art around the office. "Besides, if I allowed myself to always wallow in the past, you wouldn't be alive right now."

Angel paused with the mug halfway to his lips. "I thought we settled this."

"We talked," Holtz said in a crisp tone. "We never settled this." His manner was calm but Angel could sense the tension under the surface. He couldn't blame the man. He remembered full well what Angelus had done and knew Holtz deserved whatever vengeance he desired. He was pretty sure the man wouldn't try anything here but was still on his guard.

"You said you had something important," Angel said.

Holtz nodded slowly as he reached into his coat pocket and removed a roll of paper. "We have been doing some…business up and down the coast," he began as he unrolled the parchment. "It was in Seattle we discovered something in the shop of a demon who was posing as a realtor."

"Sure it was just posing?" Angel asked with a smile. "Has to be a reason the market is so shaky."

Holtz did not respond to the joke. "We have been having trouble deciphering the exact wording of the parchment. I hope that Watcher with you can be of aid there."

"Former Watcher," Angel said. "And no offense, Holtz but given our history, why should I aid you?"

"Because your history," Holtz said as he finished unfolding the scroll. "Is quite relevant here." He turned it around to show Angel the wording on the parchment, a bizarre mix of symbols he couldn't make out. He barely noticed them, however, his eyes fixed to the image at the scroll's center as he felt his newborn heart skip a beat.

He reached out and let his fingers slide over the image, the beautiful face framed by long blonde hair and wearing some sort of dark robe. He swallowed before turning, stalking to the door and pulling it open. "Wes. In here. Now."

The former Watcher frowned as he headed into the office. "Angel, what is…" He stopped as he saw the parchment. "Good Lord…That looks like…"

"I need this translated now," Angel said. "Call Giles in Cleveland, he's going to want to know about this." He paused as he looked toward Holtz. "Thank you."

"I do want to know what this is about as much as you do," Holtz stated.

"Fine, plenty of rooms, Spike can sleep in the basement." Angel turned as he gazed at the parchment once more. "Any idea what it says?" He asked Wesley who was leaning over the sheet.

The man frowned as he adjusted his glasses. "I'll need to get my books, it's been a while since I saw this type of text. But it does look like some sort of prophecy…a warrior caught between light and dark…a final conflict with her fated foe…" He let his finger trail at the lower part of the text and looked up at Angel, alarm in his eyes. "And in her victory, the darkness shall claim her."

Angel tensed as he gazed at the image of the woman he knew had to be Buffy Summers, those last words echoing in her mind. "Like hell."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

**Wanted a bit different to kick off the final entry in the saga. Do hope to be able to continue soon, feel free to comment as you like.**


	2. Opening Offers

Return of the New Blood

Return of the New Blood

By Michael Weyer

In case I forgot to put it in the first chapter, some situations and dialogue taken from the Star Wars Radio Drama written by Brian Daley

Opening Offers

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

There were times when being a witch had its definite advantages and this was certainly one of them as far as Willow Rosenburg was concerned. It took only a bit to create a spell to prevent the ever-oppressive heat of the twin suns to effect her as much as others. She honestly had no idea how normal people lived on this planet, not just from the heat but the burning suns. She adjusted the umbrella she held in her hands to keep it out, not wanting to add more red to her features. Her outfit was as light as she could get, a tan pair of pants and a loose shirt with a nice shawl around her neck. Her boots echoed on the rough gravel of the desert floor as she followed the path to a large shape in the distance.

"This is the right road, right?" she asked to the tall figure walking beside her.

"It is the only way to Jabba the Hutt's palace," See-Threepio said. The droid's golden armor glowed more in the bright sunlight as he made his careful pace along the sand. "It is not a well-traveled road, as you can see."

Artoo-Detoo let out a short beeping from where he rolled in between the two. The little droid appeared almost nervous to be back on Tattooine, not surprising given what happened the last time he had been on the desert world. Willow also suspected that some nervousness came from what they were doing although the droid did a better job of hiding it than Threepio did.

"I have a bad feeling about this."

"Why do people always say that?" Willow muttered. "Oh, yeah. Cause it's usually true."

Artoo let out a beep that made Threepio shake his head. "You wouldn't say that if you knew what I knew. If I told you half the stories I've heard about this Jabba the Hutt, your circuits would melt!" Artoo seemed unimpressed by this. "I mean it! Poor Lando Calrissian and Xander Harris never came back from this place."

Willow stiffened a bit at that but tried to calm herself. Somehow, she felt she'd know if Xander had died but that didn't mean he was perfectly okay. He had volunteered with Lando to go undercover into Jabba's fortress and they'd known he wouldn't be able to let out regular contact. But that had been weeks ago and Willow couldn't help but worry about him. She tried to brush it aside as she concentrated on the mission at hand.

Willow took a deep breath as they headed up the long hill path that led to the palace. There was no other word for it. It was a set of large domed towers that jutted up from the desert floor as if carved from the rock. A massive metal doorway covered the large entrance to the palace, so large that Willow felt a strain in her neck craning it up to see it. They paused before it, glancing about nervously.

"Go ahead," Willow said. "Knock."

"Me?" Threepio asked with surprise and a bit of alarm.

"You're the liaison, remember?" Willow said as she nodded to the door.

Threepio let out the electronic version of a sigh as he reached up to rap his metallic fingers onto the door. There was a long silence before he turned to Willow. "It looks like no one's here. We'd best be off."

Willow grabbed his arm to pull him back. "Try again."

With another of those sighs, Threepio knocked again. This time, a small panel opened and a long mechanical arm exited. The end of it held what looked like an eyeball as it swung right toward the trio and a strange guttural language exited from it. Threepio let out a start. "Goodness Gracious Me!"

The eyeball did more of that odd demanding sound and Threepio quickly began to speak in Huttese at it, waving at the others as he introduced them all. Willow managed a small smile and wave at the eye as it looked her over while Artoo just whistled. The eye glanced over them once more before returning to the door as fast as it had exited.

Threepio turned back to Willow. "I don't think they're going to let us in. We should just leave."

Willow rolled her eyes as she stopped him. "You are the Cowardly Lion of robots," she remarked as a loud creaking sound went out. The door began to rise up with a loud groan as if not wanting to open up. Willow wrinkled her nose at the rancid smell coming out from the doorway but steeled herself to enter. Artoo was already wheeling himself ahead as Threepio followed quickly as he could. "Wait for me!" he called out as he hurried.

Despite the smell, Willow did feel a sense of relief being out of the sun. Like most buildings on Tattooine, the palace was designed to trap in as much cool as possible. Closing her umbrella, Willow followed the droids as they walked down the dim hallways, lit by small torches and lights. Willow noted the large shapes at either end of the hallways as their heads turned to her. They were green skinned, clad in brown furs of some sort, their faces like pigs with protruding teeth and gruff voices. Willow knew these were Gamorreans, dim-witted but very tough enforcers for Jabba.

Threepio was startled at their appearance, more frantic than ever. "Let's just deliver the message and get out of here!" he hissed as another figure stepped forward. He was tall and pale with a hairless head marked by a pair of long tail-like appendages flowing back along his dark robe. Willow identified his species as a Twi'lik and knew his was Bib Fortuna, Jabba's major domo. He bared his mouth of sharp teeth as he hissed in his own language.

"Ah, hello," Threepio said. "I am See-Threepio, this is Artoo-Detoo and Willow Rosenburg. We are here to deliver a message from Jedi Master Luke Skywalker." Artoo let out a beep. "And a gift," Threepio added before turning to Artoo in confusion. "Gift, what gift?"

Bib moved his hand out to Artoo, who backed up. "I'm afraid the message has to be given to Jabba in person," Willow quickly said. "So, just bring us to him and we'll get it out of the way."

Grumbling, Bib reluctantly backed away and made a motion over his shoulder for them to follow him. Willow had to lift Artoo up to follow down a flight of steps that led them to the main throne room of the palace. She almost gagged at the rancid smell, her head dizzy from the pure haze of alcohol, drugs and who knew what else. The sight that met her nearly made her pass out totally.

The room was literally crawling with alien life forms, most intoxicated, all showing signs of hard living in crime. Some were listening to an alien band playing in one corner while the rest just talked amongst themselves. Light filtered from shafts designed to capture the light from the windows above. A large grating was at the center of the room, right before the large platform where the center of attention sat.

Despite all she'd been told by Xander, Willow was still jarred at the sight of Jabba the Hutt up close. The…creature was a repulsive, oversized slug who lounged on his huge seat, smoking from an odd tube of some sort. He had no neck, no legs, simply a huge head on his bolbulous body with the tail flicking about. Sitting at his side was a small creature that looked like a rat on steroids with a long tail and a cackle as he looked at them. Bib leaned in to whisper in Jabba's ear, the creature letting out a loud laugh as he looked at the group before him.

Threepio drew himself up as he bowed his head. "Good morning." He tapped Artoo. "Play the message, Artoo."

Artoo leaned his head back, his holo-emmiter flashing on to bring up a ten-foot tall image of Luke Skywalker. He was dressed in black robes as he nodded. "_Greetings, great Jabba. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Jedi Knight Luke Skywalker, friend to Captain Solo. I seek an audience with Your Greatness to bargain for Captain Solo's life_."

That was met by a blast of laughter from the entire crowd. "Tough room," Willow muttered under her breath.

"_With your wisdom_," the hologram continued. _"I'm sure we can work out an agreement that is beneficial to us both and help us avoid unnecessary conflict. As a token of my goodwill I give you a gift. These two droids and their keeper."_

"What?" Threepio asked, startled. "What was that?"

_"They are loyal and will serve you well. I hope to be able to work this out, Great Jabba." _The hologram faded, leaving the room to laugh once more at it.

"Artoo, what are you doing?" Threepio exclaimed. "You're playing the wrong message!" He looked up at Jabba. "Forgive him, Jabba, he is an older droid, his wiring comes loose sometimes."

When a crime lord received a slightly threatening message from a Jedi Knight, said crime lord's best options were to either negotiate, flee or surrender outright. Jabba's reaction was different as he let out a booming laugh, his head shaking as much as it could. He began to speak, Willow happy she had cast that translation spell earlier. _"There will be no bargain. I do not intend to rid myself of my favorite decoration." _ He nodded to a nearby wall where a large block of metal hung suspended in an anti-gravity beam. The figure was still clear with a face in agony and hands pressing outward.

"Han," Willow whispered as she remembered the horrible sight of him being frozen in carbonite. Jabba meanwhile simply made a motion toward her as he muttered something to Bib. The Twi'lik let out a wicked smile as he came toward her and Willow couldn't help but swallow back a bit of fear.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"I'll kill her," Willow muttered under her breath as she stumbled through the hallways. "I swear, I will kill her." She shuffled the tight top and hissed as she felt it chafe into her skin. It was a metallic halter, red in color, of course with a bare back and only the flimsiest of wires holding it all together. She wore a pair of boots with metallic tendrils going up her ankles and what amounted to the intergalactic version of Daisy Dukes shorts which were only slightly less uncomfortable than the top. Her red hair was now done in a series of braids, a couple of which felt rather painful as she brushed at them.

"The old saying is true. Beauty is a curse."

Willow glanced up to see a man in a dark uniform gazing down at her. The outfit was almost entirely black leather with gray stripes and a dark cap over his head. His face was almost entirely covered by a mask that looked to be made out of bone. He pulled it down slightly to show a handsome black face with a pencil-thin moustache over the smiling lips.

"Flatterer," Willow said with a smile of her own. "You'd flirt with your own executioner if she was a woman."

"Especially her," Lando Calrissian said with his smile in place. "I might convince her to botch the job."

Willow rose up as he pulled the mask back up. "How's Xander?"

"Fitting in, best I can tell," Lando said. "He doesn't like the disguise of course but as he's met Jabba before, that's needed."

Willow nodded. "How are we doing?"

"Not as good as I expected," Lando admitted. "I think I may have overestimated the numbers Jabba has on hand. I though more would be frightened off by the Imperials."

Willow knew what he meant. The Empire appeared to be more intelligent than given credit for in this instance as they knew it was inevitable the Rebels would try to rescue Han. As such, a small battle fleet was in orbit around Tattooine, eyes and sensors sharp for any Rebel ships. Of course, they couldn't watch every ship which allowed Xander and Lando to sneak in with the _Millennium Falcon._ Willow had managed to get on a small transport with the droids but that still left a question of how they'd get off once they had Han.

She pushed that aside as she glanced about. "So what can I expect from this job?"

"Just keep to serving drinks, try not to hit anyone." Lando glanced toward the hallway leading to the main room. "And…hope you're a good dancer." He lifted the large spear in his hands as he headed back out, leaving Willow with a slightly sinking feeling in her stomach. "God, Kasen, wish you were here," she muttered. She did another look on her outfit. "Well…not really….then again…"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

For some unknown reason, Xander hated the eyepatch the most.

Yeah, the fake beard was itchy. Yeah, the wig fit badly and itched too. Yes, the made-up scars and clefts left him feeling swollen. But for some reason, the eyepatch just rubbed him the wrong way. But one glance at the monstrous figure on the other side of the room was enough for him to put aside his discomfort and work with the disguise.

At first, he had protested when Lando had come up with this idea. He had met Jabba before, he had known the gangster and more importantly, the gangster knew him. Being put into such a public spot was going to be far too great a risk. But Lando countered that a disguise would help and more importantly, so would the position.

"Come on, kid. It's not like anyone really pays that much attention to a bartender."

So far, Xander had to admit the reasoning was sound. Yeah, the disguise helped but it did seem people just ordered drinks and kept to themselves afterward. There were some rowdy periods, of course, but Xander had experience keeping his head down when trouble broke out. Of course, it'd help if he didn't have to clean up every time a brawl broke out. And the pay wasn't good but then, he wasn't in this for the money anyway.

It still hurt to look across the room and see the large block that held his friend displayed like a trophy. It was all Xander could do not to run over and open it up right now but he knew he had to wait. Willow and the droids were here so the first part of the plan was in place. All they had to do was show patience and things could work out.

Provided of course that the infamously bad Xander Harris luck didn't kick in. Unfortunately, the armored figure nearby seemed to prove that could happen.

Xander had no idea why Bobba Fett was hanging around now. The bounty hunter was famous for being on the move to take various jobs around the galaxy and his capture of Han had added to his reputation. But he'd been here for several days now, usually aloof at the side although he did seem to enjoy flirting with some of the various women at times. Xander had done his best not to appear too obvious trying to avoid Fett's attention. He was helped by the fact quite a few there were doing the same thing. After all, no one enjoyed being around the most notorious bounty hunter alive, especially criminals with prices on their heads.

So far, Fett appeared to be avoiding the bar (not surprising given how he wore his helmet all the time) allowing Xander a little more breathing room. He knew his role was simply gathering information to get the rest of the group a chance to formulate the proper plan. That meant keeping under the radar and not drawing attention.

He whistled a bit as he cleaned a glass, grateful for the brief break in action. He caught a brief fresh scent among the odor of alien bodies, hinting that it was one of the dancing girls. He did his best to put on a good smile as he turned around. "What can I…" his word died as he saw who it was.

The woman was utterly and completely beautiful, her lush mane of red hair pulled back to frame a face of perfection. Her body was one to match, the blue brassier in a v-shape with silk straps around her neck. Her belly was bare until the lower half, the same metallic shorts and silk coverings as the others ending in blue sandals. Her green eyes widened as she saw Xander and he knew she knew who he was.

How could she not? After all, she knew every inch of him just as he knew every inch of her, the woman who'd shared his bed for almost two years. The woman he had loved. The woman who had betrayed him.

"Well, well," Mara Jade said with a slight tug at her lips. "Fancy meeting you here, Harris."

Xander closed his one eye and shook his head. "I'm cursed," he muttered to himself." That's all there is to it. I'm just cursed."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**


	3. Routed Escape

Return of the New Blood

Return of the New Blood

By Michael Weyer

**Routed Escape**

** XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Despite knowing how incredibly clichéd it was, Xander couldn't help but say it. "Of all the gin joints on all the planets in all the galaxy, you had to walk into mine."

Mara Jade smiled at the disguised Xander. "The eye patch really doesn't suit you. I always liked your eyes."

"Thanks," Xander remarked. "I liked…well, you know what I liked about you. At least, when I thought I knew you."

Mara seemed nonplussed at his cold tone. "It wasn't personal, kid."

"Don't call me kid," Xander said. "And it was personal. To me."

She simply shrugged as if it was no consequence while she looked away. "Hmm…I do wonder how Jabba will react if he were to learn Solo's handyman is here."

"Probably about the same if he found out the Emperor's errand gal was here," Xander returned, not batting an eye.

They stared at each other, realizing the stand-off. Finally, Mara slowly nodded. "Okay, fine. I keep quiet, you keep quiet."

"What are you doing here, Jade?" Xander blurted. "What, Daddy Palpatine take your car away for screwing things up?"

Her face darkened and Xander chose that moment to remember this was a woman who could use the Force. "I've got my reasons," she coolly remarked. "Just watch yourself, Harris. This place is a pit of vipers and there's no telling who's going to bite first."

"As I recall, biting was something you enjoyed," Xander couldn't help mentioning, rubbing at his shoulder.

She just threw him a wicked smirk before walking away, leaving Xander to once again wonder what he'd done in a past life to earn such a wild romantic one now.

The sound of a blaster bolt cut through the noise of the den, startling everyone. Several hands went to weapons as a guard fell down the stairs and through the doorway. After a few minutes, a dark-garbed figure entered. He was a human, not that tall but dressed in tan and brown leather with a thick mask marked by a visor and long breath mask. It concealed his entire head and the more observant could tell a targeting sight was among the placements in it.

In one hand, the stranger held a long staff with an electrified pike at the end. The other held a chain extending out of the doorway. He gave a tug and then a massive figure followed him in. He was seven feet tall and covered with fur, his hands bound before him and a collar around his neck, snarling as he was dragged in. Despite the preparation, Xander couldn't help but shudder at the sight of Chewbacca in chains.

"Oh, no, Chewbacca!" Threepio moaned from his place beside Jabba on the large dais. Xander did his best to keep out of the way, not a problem as everyone was gazing at the wookie being dragged in by the masked man.

Jabba let out a laugh as he took the sight in. _"At last, someone has brought me the mighty Chewbacca." _He saw the wookie glancing at the frozen form of Han on the wall and laughed more at the pain in his face. _"Talkdroid!"_

"Oh, ah, yes, I am here, oh mighty one," Threepio announced as he stepped forward, a restraining bolt on his chest. Jabba motioned to the figure and rumbled. Nodding, Threepio turned to him. "The illustrious Jabba thanks you for the capture of the wookie Chewbacca. He asks for the indulgence of your name so he may know who to reward?"

"Boushh," the figure returned.

Nodding, Threepio listened as Jabba spoke, then turned back to the bounty hunter. "The great Jabba bids you welcome and will gladly pay the twenty-five thousand."

The bounty hunter responded and Threepio turned to give his crisp reply. "He wants fifty thousand. No less." With a snarl, Jabba threw his arm out, smacking Threepio back off the dais. The Hutt let out a series of curses as the droid picked himself up. "What…what did I say?" he moaned.

Jabba growled and Threepio gave the electronic equivalent of a swallow. "Um, the great Jabba wishes to know why he should pay fifty thousand."

In response, Boushh turned one of his hands over to show a small metallic globe in his fist. He clenched and a series of lights began to flash off its surface. "Because he's holding a thermal detonator!" Threepio cried out, throwing up his arms.

Needless to say, quite a bit of commotion broke out at his words. Everyone who could immediately leapt back and sought cover, as if that would truly help. Boba Fett was one of the figures who raised his rifle at Boushh although it was clear dropping the detonator would ignite it. Xander leapt behind the bar, more for appearance's sake, although he managed to peek around the side.

A long and tense silence filled the room which was broken by Jabba's booming laughter, his body shaking like jelly on the throne. _"This bounty hunter is my kind of scum. Fearless and inventive." _He spoke more and Threepio turned back to Boushh. "The…generous Jabba offers you thirty-five thousand." He lowered his voice and leaned in urgently. "And I do suggest you take it."

Another tense pause filled the air. Finally, Boushh relaxed his fist, the globe switching off as he nodded. "He agrees!" Threepio proclaimed, the entire room letting out a massive rush of air with a collective sigh of relief. At a wave of Jabba's hand, a pair of Gammoreans came over and took Chewbacca from Boushh, the wookie snarling as they dragged him off. The band began to play once more as things returned to normal.

Xander stood up and saw Willow coming toward him, raising his eyebrow at her outfit. "Well, slap me silly and call me Willy," he intoned. "Someone's been dipping into the Madonna collection."

Willow rolled her eyes. "Don't start." She brushed her hair back. "Was that…who I thought it was leaving?"

Xander nodded. "Yep. The woman of my nightmares in all her glory."

"Damn," Willow muttered. "That can be a problem. I hope she doesn't try to cause trouble."

"Hmmm."

Willow studied him. "You're thinking of her and me wrestling in these outfits right now, aren't you?"

"Sorry, reflex."

Willow sighed. "Well, hopefully, we can just keep it low until the plan kicks in."

"Just hope you've got your dancing down."

Willow smirked. "Funny."

Xander wasn't smiling. "Remember the Twi'lik girl who was out here earlier?" At Willow's nod, Xander sighed. "While you were…changing, Jabba tried to put a move on her, she resisted and…" He nodded to the large grating at the center of the room. "Let's just say there's something down there you do not want to meet. And it's hungry."

Willow swallowed. "Damn, I wish Kasen was here."

"I bet you do. Especially when you're wearing that."

Willow resisted the urge to hit him for old time's sake.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

As with any desert planet, night brought a chill to Tattoine. The same buildings designed to keep out the heat now worked to warm from the sometimes freezing airs outside. As could be expected from the level of debauchery that took place during the day, the palace was pretty much dead by this late hour. Those who weren't asleep were passed out, bodies littering the main throne room. Jabba himself had retired to his quarters, a task that required an effort on par with docking a large barge in Mos Eisely. The lights were dimmed, the shadows flowing and thus no one saw the armored figure slowly making his way across the room.

Boushh paused every now and then to gaze at a body, making sure it was sleeping before he would continue on his way. Slowly, he made his way to the alcove where the large block of carbonite stood suspended in its force field. Gazing around, the bounty hunter pressed a button on the wall and the field shut off, the slab lowering with a loud clang on the metal floor. Boushh glanced about but no one appeared to have been stirred by the sound.

Satisfied, the figure turned back and reached to the controls at the slab's side. He tapped a few of the keys and then slid back a lever. A small monitor showed the life support mixing from red to green. Nodding, Boushh stepped back to watch. After a few seconds, a glow seemed to emit from the block of carbonite, illuminating the outlines of the figure trapped within. The glow flashed out more as the black metal turned red, then white and then showed the figure inside.

In surprisingly short time, the limp form of Han Solo fell forward, almost hitting the floor before Boushh caught him. A movement caught the corner of his viewpiece and he turned to see Xander coming from out of the shadows. Instead of being alarmed, Boushh nodded as the young man came forward and knelt by the limp body. "He okay?"

"He should be," the hunter said, the voicecoder scrambling the tones. He cradled Han's head as the man coughed. His hair appeared slicked and his body shook but otherwise seemed unharmed. He still wore the white shirt and dark pants he'd had on when he'd been frozen all those months ago, his eyes blinking as he tried to rise. "Relax," Boushh said, although the electronic voice did little to comfort. "You're free."

Han blinked as he gazed about. "I…I can't see!"

"You have hibernation sickness," Boushh told him. "Your eyesight will return in time."

Han reached up, feeling the mask and stiffening. "Who are you?" he hissed. Despite the muddleness of his mind, he was instantly alert and worried, wondering if this was Fett thawing him out for more punishment.

Boushh reached up to undo the helmet, pulling it off. A long mane of dark brown hair fell loose, held in a ponytail and framing an utterly beautiful female face. "Someone who loves you," she breathed.

"Leia?" Han had time to gasp before her lips found his. She kissed him long and deep, grateful he couldn't see the tears in her eyes as she finally answered back the emotion she'd had inside her for so long.

Xander coughed. "Um, hate to break this up but I think we need to get going."

"Xander?" Han gasped. "That you?"

"The one and only, boss," Xander said as he helped Leia get Han to his feet. "I think I've got more than enough info for the Fodor's guide so let's get out of here." He placed one of Han's arm on his shoulder, Leia taking the other as they guided him through the room. They'd only gotten a few steps when a deep and booming sound rang out.

"I know that laugh," Han winced.

"Oh, hell's bells," Xander muttered. He heard the drawing of curtains as the laugh boomed once more, joined by more shrieks and catcalls of various voices. Around them, thugs and gunmen suddenly sat up, weapons drawn and aimed at the trio. They slowly turned to see Jabba sitting on a makeshift version of his throne, his regular assemblage surrounding him and laughing. The only one not taking joy in this was Threepio, who waved his arms in worry and Willow, who now had a chain attached to a collar around her neck which she fought against.

"_What a touching scene," _Jabba intoned. _"Nice to see your luck with the ladies continues, Solo."_

Even blinded and having spent the last year in a block of metal, Han Solo was still capable of sliding into smooth talk better than any man alive. "Listen, Jabba," he said, facing the source of the laughter. "I know, I know, I let you down. I was on my way to pay you when I got a little side-tracked. Now, we're both reasonable beings, I know we can work out…."

"_Forget it, Han," _Jabba interrupted. _"You may have been the best smuggler in the business but you're bantha fodder now. I'm rather glad I put up with Harris all this time for this moment."_

Xander sighed as he undid his eyepatch and the fake beard. "Damn, put a lot of work into this."

Jabba bellowed deeply. _"Please. I didn't live this long being a fool, boy. I was onto you since your first day. I figured you'd have more of your Rebel friends to free Solo." _His eyes focused on Leia. _"I didn't expect one so…attractive." _He made a motion and guards moved to grab Xander and Han and begin to drag them away.

"Now, Jabba, don't be an idiot!" Han called out as they were led off. "I'm offering you a fortune here, don't throw it away!"

Leia was about to led off when Jabba made a motion with his hand. _"Bring her here." _The guard glanced at her, worry in the familiar brown eyes behind the mask but Leia gave a slight nod. Trying not to let his concern show, the guard pushed her toward Jabba.

"You're going to regret this," Leia spat. "We have powerful friends." She turned her head away as Jabba's giant tongue came out of his mouth and licked at her, leaving a trail of saliva. Willow blanched, wishing she could use her magic but knowing she could never take all these thugs down at once and Threepio let out a long electronic moan.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Xander winced as he was thrown into the wall of the dark cell, Han following him. "I don't know if I've ever mentioned this before boss, but…you kinda suck at negotiating."

"Thanks for the Imperial suite!" Han yelled back at the departing Gammoreans. "When I get my eyes back on-line, I'm using those horns of yours for coat hooks!"

"Yes, I can smell their fear," Xander dryly said.

Han just rubbed at his hair. "How long?"

Xander took a breath. "A year."

"Damn," Han muttered. "It was…cold….had some…bad dreams…Now in a nightmare." A grunting sound in the back of the cell caused him to straighten up. "Tell me that was you, kid."

The grunting became a growl as a hulking shape came forward and then a roar. "Chewie?" Han asked. "Chewie, is that you?" In answer, the Wookie lunged forward and pulled his friend into a bone-crushing hug. "Chewie! Chewie, okay, I'm okay, I…I can't see, pal! I can't see!"

Chewbacca moved back, moaning as he brushed Han's head. "I know, I missed you too, pal." He sighed. "So much for the grand rescue."

"Not to worry," Xander said. "We'll just go to Plan B."

Han's blind eyes widened. "You mean this was your best plan?!"

"Oh, you're one to talk," Xander put in. "Don't worry though, Luke and Buffy are coming."

"Luke?" Han scoffed. "The kid can't even take care of himself! Okay, Summers is good but still…"

Chewbacca let out a series of growls and Han let out a laugh. "Jedi Knights? I'm out of it for a little while and everyone gets delusions of grandeur…"

Xander was about to reply when he heard footsteps outside. He leaned up to the barred window in the door and winced. "Oh, great, Vader Junior is here."

"Fett," Han growled, moving to the window. "I was just saying the smell here couldn't get any worse and then you show up. Jabba have you scrubbing floors in your spare time or you want to try and see if you have the guts to take a shot at a blind man?" There was no answer. "What, just wanna stare or got something to say?"

"I've beaten you, Solo," the bounty hunter hissed.

Han let out a barking laugh. "You beat me? Vader caught me, Jabba held me. All you did was fetch and carry."

"Tomorrow, I'll have another contract," Fett went on. "And you'll be dead."

Han waved a hand as if there was no concern. "I've bargained my way out of worse spots. At least I'm not lowered to being Jabba's errand boy."

"He's right, Fett," Xander joined in. "You're supposed to be the big bad hunter and yet every time Jabba snaps his fingers, you're there. Some rep, Hutt's Boy."

Fett growled under his helmet. "Don't push me, Solo…"

Chewbacca let out a sarcastic growl and Han nodded. "Yeah, Chewie, I think you're right. I think Boba's not as cocky as he wants us to think he is. You nervous, Fett? Worried we're going to break out of here and hunt you down?"

Fett just shook his head although the chuckle seemed to have a slightly hollow feel to it. "I'm going to enjoy watching you die. All of you." He turned and walked off as Han yelled out at him. "Yeah, remember my face, Fett! Cause one day I'm gonna rip that helmet off with your head still in it!"

Xander had to smile. "Still have such a wonderful way with people, Han."

Han sighed. "Level with me, kid. We actually have a chance of getting out of here?"

"It's Buffy and Luke."

"Terrific. We're all dead."


	4. Rumbling With the Rancor

Return of the New Blood

By Michael Weyer

Rumbling with the Rancor

**My apologies for the long delay. I've been dealing with both a move to a new place and a PC crash along with other works and issues. Hoping to get a bit more on track soon. **

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The clanking sound of the iron door being raised echoed throughout the entrance hallway of Jabba's palace. The light of the desert morning entered as did the oppressive heat. Framed at the doorway were two figures, one shorter than the other, both wearing long black robes with hoods. As soon as the door was raised, they began to walk forward in perfect unison, their boots leaving soft prints behind. Their pace was measured and calm, the two obviously self-assured and not at all intimidated by their surroundings.

Two Gammoreans on duty came up, their axes held high. The taller of the duo pointed at each with his hand and both grabbed at their throats, gasping for breath. They fell back as the pair went on, heading toward the stairs at the far side. "I could have taken them out with little problem," the shorter of the two said in a soft voice laced with humor.

"We're trying to handle this diplomatically," the other one said in a masculine voice.

"I didn't punch them first, did I?"

The male seemed to smile a bit as they walked on. Behind them, the two guards felt their throats clear and gasped for breath. While Gammoreans weren't known for their brain power, the two realized that tangling with those two again was not worth the price of their jobs and fell back.

The light inside the main throne room was dimmed as ever with the usual haze of smoke about, many of the inhabitants in the exact same spots they'd occupied the day before. There was one notable addition to the surroundings: Princess Leia Organa. She was lying on the throne at Jabba's side, dressed in the metallic bikini of a slave girl with long red sashes by her legs, her brown hair locked in a long ponytail with gold locks placed among the braids. On her face was an expression of pure humiliation, which seemed to please Jabba more. Next to her, Willow sat with as glum an expression, the collar around her neck matching Leia's own.

As the two came down, Bib Fortuna quickly moved to intercept them. The long-time aide expertly sized them up: Human, the male a handsome man with intelligent eyes, one hand encased in a black glove with the other bare. The other was a female, young but her eyes appeared more experienced than one would expect, her form athletic in the dark outfit she wore.

"You must leave," Bib hissed at them in his jagged tongue.

"I'm Luke Skywalker," the man introduced himself politely. "This is Buffy Summers. We are JedI Knights and we come seeking an audience with Jabba"

Bib shook his head. "Jabba sees no one he does not want to see. Especially JedI scum."

Luke stared at Bib intently, his man making a slight waving motion. "You will take me to see Jabba now."

Bib blinked before slowly nodding. "I will take you to see Jabba now." He turned to leave them to the center of the room.

"You serve your master well," Luke intoned.

"I serve my master well."

"You will be amply rewarded."

"I will be amply rewarded."

"And you'll cluck like a…"

"Buffy."

"Couldn't resist."

As the duo came into the main room, C-3PO straightened. "Oh! Thank heavens, Master Luke is here to rescue me!"

"Glad to see you too, Threepio," Buffy replied.

Bib moved in to whisper to the sleeping Jabba, who roused himself. The large eyes blinked as they focused on Luke and Buffy before narrowing. He leaned in to hiss at Bib. "_I told you not to admit them, fool!"_

"We must be allowed to speak," Luke announced.

"They must be allowed to speak," Bib repeated.

Jabba stared at him before hauling back and smacking him across the chest with a beefy arm, Bib knocked into the wall. "_You weak-minded fool! He's using a JedI mind-trick on you_!"

Luke pulled back his hood, Buffy doing the same to let her blond locks fall back. Luke stared at Jabba. "You will bring Captain Solo and the Wookie to me," he said in a commanding voice.

Jabba's response was a booming laugh. "_Your feeble skills and tricks won't work on me, boy. I was killing your kind when being a JedI meant something_."

"What'd you do, sit on them?" Buffy scoffed.

Jabba glared at her. "_Quite the mouth, girl. After I kill him, I may keep you as a new pet_." He tugged on the chain holding Leia's collar, pulling her back. Willow glared at him and Buffy could see the struggle within her friend. She knew full well Willow could break that collar with one spell but the plan required her to wait. She gave the redhead as comforting a smile as she could although part of her had to admit it felt good to be the one not in a skimpy outfit for a change.

Luke was calm as he spoke. "I am offering you a chance, Jabba. Let our friends go and we'll leave you peacefully. Refuse…and what happens is on your head."

"Which can hold a hell of a lot," Buffy noted.

"Um, Master Luke, Mistress Buffy, you're standing…" Threepio was cut off by a palm over his voice box.

Jabba glared at them before chortling. "_I shall enjoy watching you both die."_

"Well, I normally hate to rob people of the small pleasures in life," Buffy said. "But in this case…" She swung a leg backward to nail a guard in the head with a kick. As he fell, she made a motion with her hand and the guard's blaster flew out of his holster and into her palm as she whirled about to face Jabba. A Gammorean leapt forward but Luke grabbed him, holding his blaster over his head.

With a snarl, Jabba's fist smashed into his console. The sixth sense for danger that had served Buffy well over the years kicked in and Buffy leapt back as the grating below opened up. Luke and the Gammorean both fell, a shot from the blaster going off and flying into the ceiling. Buffy watched them go and with a short curse, leapt down into the chasm.

Jabba laughed long and loud as the throne slid forward and covered the doorway. Willow and Leia both leaned forward, their throats chafing against the metal collars as they looked down. A slide led into the large pit below the throne room where Luke, the guard and Buffy all slid down, rolling about.

The two JedI were up quickly, discarding their robes as they got their bearings. The pit was a mostly dirt area strewn with bones and skulls of various types of creatures. As the trio looked about, a large clanking sound was heard and a steel doorway began to rise. The Gammorean, who had seen this all before, squealed in terror and ran toward the slide, trying in vain to climb back up its smooth walls.

The door rose all the way and a hideous shape came out of the opening. It was at least thirty feet hide, thick with brown hide, standing on hind legs with its long arms ending in huge clawed hands. It was hunched with its head made up mostly of a huge jaw lined with razor-sharp teeth. Broken chains hung from its wrists as it strode forward, bellowing out.

Above, the crowd began to cheer as they watched the rancor move toward the hapless Gammorean. The creature howled in terror as the long fingers wrapped around his beefy form and warrior capable of taking on ten men was lifted up like a rag doll. Futilely, it tired to fight back but the rancor simply lifted the Gammorean to his mouth and bit down on the head. A sickening crunch went out as the rancor nearly chewed the guard's head right off.

"Jeez," Buffy hissed as she backed up. "The guy can't just collect fish like everyone else?"

"Desert planet, too expensive to maintain," Luke pointed out.

"High or low?" Buffy asked.

"We should try staying out of his way, first," Luke said. As if hearing him, the rancor lunged forward with surprising speed, its claws barely missing the duo as they leapt aside.

"Once," Buffy muttered as she rolled on the ground. "Just once…I'd love to fight something that's actually as slow as it looks." She got back to her feet as the rancor attacked again, leaping over its fist and coming onto her feet. Her foot brushed against something and she looked down to see a large bone at her feet.

While she was distracted, the rancor's fast fist flew again and enclosed around Luke. He grunted as he tired to pry the fingers off but they were like moving solid steel. The rancor lifted him up as the crowd cheered.

"Luke!" Buffy kicked the bone upward and then threw it toward him. Luke caught it just as he was brought up to the rancor's mouth. He jammed it at an angle so the bone was stuck right between the upper and lower jaws. The rancor gasped at the sudden pain, trying in vain to move his mouth. It let go of Luke to try and pick the bone out. He landed on his feet, quickly joining Buffy.

Buffy took a deep breath as she saw the creature stumble about. She saw another bone on the ground, this one sharper and hefted it up. Balancing it, she lunged forward and sent it flying out like a spear. The bone hit the rancor at the base of its neck, a lethal blow for most creatures but in its case, a mild annoyance. It roared louder and thrashed about, its claws smashing into the walls and sending debris flying about.

"That plan worked a lot better in my head," Buffy noted as she saw the newly angered creature go wild.

"Fall back," Luke said as the two began to move to the tunnel the rancor had come out of. They soon saw the doorway that led to a side room with a large gate before it. On the other side was a slovenly man dressed in simple pants and a hood who was the rancor's keeper and a pair of guards. The trio hooted as Buffy and Luke vainly tried to pry the bars apart, the guards moving to poke spears at them.

Above, Willow tried to work her fingers around the cold collar, wondering if any spells could be a help here. She felt a hand at her shoulder and saw Leia slowly shaking her head. The princess could sense what Willow wanted but knew this could jeopardize their overall plan. Willow backed down, knowing she was right but hating simply watching the crowd cheer on her friend's death.

Buffy leaned back on the wall as the rancor began to move in, bending down to duck under the metal doorway. "Options?" she asked, trying to sound unworried.

Luke glanced about until his eyes fell on a panel on the far side of the cave. He nudged her and Buffy saw it too, a set of auxiliary controls for the doorway. Luke hefted a skull from the ground, judging its weight. He handed it to Buffy who hauled back and threw it out with her enhanced strength. It smashed into the panel, creating a shower of sparks as it shattered apart.

The huge door was cut loose, one large spike smashing right into the Rancor's head. It was driven into the ground, gasping for a long moment, its claws reaching out before it went still.

"Now if I just knew enough baseball to make a clever metaphor," Buffy remarked as she brushed off her hands.

A shocked silence reigned overhead as the onlookers reacted to the rancor's unexpected demise. The doorway at the side opened and the rancor's keeper shoved Buffy aside to stare at his creature for a long moment before beginning to weep. Oddly, Buffy almost felt sorry for the man before remembering how many people his "pet" had fed upon.

Jabba was shaking wildly on his throne, arms flaying about as he bellowed. "_Bring me Solo, Harris and the Wookie! They shall all pay for this outrage_!" Guards quickly rushed to comply as the noise of the crowd picked back up. The one person not outraged was a Twi'lik who was happily collecting money, glad his constant betting on the person facing the rancor had at long last paid off.

Buffy looked to Luke as a group of guards pulled them from the pit. "This is your idea of diplomacy?"

Luke gave her a smile. "I think the JedI might have termed it 'aggressive negotiations.'"

X**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The mood in the throne room was one of high expectations as the prisoners were escorted in, Buffy and Luke from one side, Xander, Chewbacca and Han at the other. "Han!" Luke called out.

"Luke!" Han called out, blinking. "That you?"

"And me," Buffy added. "Guess the first try didn't work, huh?"

"Never knock my rescue attempts again," Han said.

Buffy nodded to Xander. "Good to see you're okay."

"Yeah, benefit of no showers, didn't have to worry about dropping the soap," he replied. "So, how we doing?"

"Same as always."

"That bad, huh?"

They were all brought before Jabba as Leia pulled against her collar restraints. "Han!" she called out.

"You okay, Leia?" he asked.

"I've been better," she answered honestly. Despite her love for the smuggler, she couldn't help feel a bit happy he couldn't see her in such a skimpy and humiliating outfit.

Jabba loudly grumbled as Threepio gave the electronic equivalent of a swallow. "Oh, dear." Stepping forward, he addressed the group. "His High Exaltedness, Jabba the Hutt, has decreed you are to be terminated immediately."

"Good, I hate long waits," Han jibed.

"You will be taken to the Great Dune Sea and cast into the Pit of Carkoon, the resting place of the almighty Sarlacc."

A rumble of whispers echoed through the room as many of the criminals winced and some seemed appalled. Xander shuddered, realizing anything that could frighten a group like this was not something he wanted to experience. For his part, Han simply shrugged. "Doesn't sound so bad."

"In his belly," Threepio went on. "You will find a new definition of pain and suffering as you are slowly digested over…a thousand years."

"Wait, what happened to 'terminated immediately?'" Xander demanded.

Luke simply gazed at Jabba. "You should have bargained while you had the chance, Jabba. It's the last mistake you'll ever make."

Jabba bellowed in laughter.

"Yes, I can smell the fear," Buffy dryly said.

"The Great Jabba wishes for his sail barge to be prepared and a feast to be set!" Threepio announced. "You are all invited to join him in watching the death of the last of the Jedi!" A loud cheer went up as the criminals began to file out.

"Well, always wanted to win over a crowd," Xander remarked as they were dragged off.

Buffy smiled. "Relax, Xander. We've got it handled."

"Any more handling and they're burying us in the sand, blondie," Han snapped.

"Just trust me."

Han rolled his blinded eyes. "Now I know how Goldenrod feels about me saying that."

As the various hoodlums began to file about, Willow saw a red-haired figure ready to go ahead with them. She narrowed her eyes as she recognized Mara Jade and knew having her on board the sail barge was a very bad idea. She glanced at Jabba, seeing him too busy bellowing for his aides to get his anti-gravity carrier ready and then back at Mara. Closing her eyes, she whispered under her breath, flexing her right hand slightly.

Mara was almost at the steps when a wave of nausea struck her dead between the eyes. She stopped in place, suddenly heaving for breath as it felt like her stomach was being twisted inside out. She bent over as it got worse, her mouth opening to gasp only to have a wave of vomit spill out and onto the steps, striking the recovering Bib Fortuna on the shoes.

Already upset over his treatment earlier, Bib hissed out at her. "Fool girl!" he snapped. "If you are that ill, you should not have risked our master's health! You shall stay here and clean up this mess! In fact, clean the entire room! No, the palace!"

"But…I…" Mara tried to protest only to have another wave of bile spew out. Bib snarled as he shoved her and stalked away.

Willow smiled as she saw the Emperor's Hand lost in illness. That's for screwing over my best friend. It was a small satisfaction but it still felt good nonetheless as the procession for execution began to get underway.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

**A bit short but have to save the Sarlacc battle for its own chapter, hopefully soon.**


	5. Pit Stop

Return of the New Blood

By Michael Weyer

**Pit Stop**

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Despite the fact it was early morning, the twin suns were already baking the desert in an oppressive sheen of heat. Even the breeze set up by the motion of the trio of vehicles did little to beat it back although it provided some slight relief to the occupants.

The two repulsor-powered skiffs were little more than flying platforms, no seats or covering of any sort, the occupants standing as the wedge-shaped vehicles flew over the sands. Between them was the massive sail barge, Jabba's pride and joy. While it was no longer in pristine condition due to its years of use in the sand, it was still an impressive sight, rising roughly forty feet in height and twice as much in length. The large orange sails were more decoration and awning from the sun than any function. Covering the deck was a large cannon at the far end with armor plating lining the ship.

Inside, the air was dim and tight but still cooler than outside as the various guests mingled about, sipping drinks and feasting from the well-stocked kitchen. Jabba sat on a large throne, naturally, smoking his long pipe as he anticipated the show, taking a moment to stroke the chain around Leia's neck.

Willow glanced to her friend. "Are you all right?"

"Sooner we get out of this cesspool, the better," Leia muttered.

Willow had to smile. "See, there's those high standards of royalty coming to the fore again."

Leia had to smile as she looked outside. She could see the main skiff holding Luke, Buffy, Xander, Han and Chewbacca, all bound and held together as the vehicle flew over the sands. She gasped as the chain yanked her back to bring her close to Jabba. "You will appreciate me in time," he leered, his breath toxic enough to make Leia gag.

See-Threepio came up to them, shaking his head. "I cannot believe it. Artoo is here, serving drinks, as natural as you please! He acts like it's no concern Master Luke is about to be fed to that monster!"

"Relax, Threepio," Willow said. "We've got it handled."

Threepio gave an electronic blink, wondering once more why humans were always so unreasonable.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

On board the first skiff, the captives appeared calm despite the approaching doom and the guards around them.

"I think my sight's getting better," Han remarked as he looked about. "Instead of a big dark blur, I see a big light blur."

"There's nothing to see," Luke said. "I used to live around here, you know."

"You're going to die here, you know," Han retored. "Convenient."

"I'd go more for ironic there," Xander remarked.

"Just stick close to Chewie and Lando," Buffy whispered. "We've got everything under control."

"Oh…" Han said in a flat tone. "Greaaaat."

The skiff began to slow down as a huge basin in the sand came into view. The barge settled at one end as the second skiff circled about and the one the captives were on stopped at the opposite end. Leaning over the small guardrail, Buffy could see the Pit of Carkoon, which was exactly what it sounded like, a hole in the sand leading to a center spot. At its center was a large maw of some sort of creature with a dozen tentacles spreading out from its body. From the maw extended a serpent-like appendage with an open mouth of its own that seemed to gape at its upcoming meal.

Exactly what the Sarlacc was was a question that had baffled scientists for years. Very few of them had been seen in space and most in inhospitable planets so many were wary of studying them too closely. What was known was that they were insatiable and quite deadly, the long digestive system more guesswork than real fact. It added to the fear of them, which made them the perfect use for a stylish execution.

As the skiff settled down, a guard moved to unbind Luke's hands. At the same time, a plank was extended from the skiff's side, hanging dead center over the Sarlacc's mouth. Luke and Buffy exchanged glances as the barge's windows opened to give the audience a good view. Buffy paused to kneel down, adjusting her boots. "Don't want to cramp," she said to a guard. The creature simply grunted and looked toward Luke, not noticing Buffy unclasping a small pocket on each side of the upper part of the boots.

There was an electronic squawk before Threepio's voice boomed out. "Victims of the Almighty Sarlacc! His Excellency hopes you will die…honorably." He paused, the statement making no sense to his logic circuits. He quickly moved on. "But should any of you wish to beg for mercy, the Great Jabba is willing to hear your pleas."

"Threepio!" Han yelled out. "You tell that slimy piece of worm-ridden filth…"

Unfortunately, Han's words didn't have as much impact as he was facing the opposite direction of the barge. Chewbacca quickly grabbed him, hefted him up, turned him around and set him back on his feet. To his credit, Han simply nodded and continued non-plussed.

"…He'll get no such pleasure from us!" He looked about. "Right?"

"Right on, boss," Xander said. "Believe me, I can give that thing a thousand years of severe indigestion."

Luke stood at the end of the skiff, gazing out. "Jabba," he called out. "This is your last chance. Free us…or die."

The laughter of the barge's occupants was audible across the pit as Jabba bellowed out. The guard behind Luke moved forward, pushing him onto the plank. Luke ignored him, gazing up to the top of the barge where a small rotund figure was slowly treading itself by the railing.

Luke stepped up to the edge of the plank, gazing outward, utterly calm. He looked to Buffy who nodded back, her muscles tensing under her clothing. Luke glanced back up at Artoo and could almost see a panel on the droid's head sliding back. He raised a hand to give a small salute as he stepped off the skiff to a loud roar from the crowd…

And spun about as he did, catching the plank at its edge, bending it back before it shot upward and he with it. At the same instant, Artoo jettisoned the object from his panel, sending it flying in a wide arc toward the skiff. Luke somersaulted in mid-air over the head of the startled guard. Landing on his feet, he held out his hand, catching the cylinder and igniting it.

In a flash of ozone, a green bar of energy formed from the cylinder. Luke began to swing the light saber about, a blow sending the guard at the plank falling back. The creature howled in terror as he fell into the pit where the waiting Sarlacc's mouth eagerly pounced to swallow him up.

One swing of the saber cut through the binders on Buffy's wrists. As soon as they fell free, the Slayer fell to one knee, reaching into her boot to remove two small modules. She pushed them together, giving three quick twists and then ignited her own light saber. She spun it about to knock another guard back over the edge of the skiff and into the pit. At the rear, Lando had thrown off his helmet disguise to battle the guard at the rear, pushing him back while Han, Chewbacca and Xander tried to stay out of the way.

On the barge, Jabba was quite naturally infuriated at the proceedings, bellowing and screaming in Huttese. Threepio was trying to get to some safety only to be knocked back by a charging guard. Leai and Willow hunt back, knowing their chance was about to come.

Back on the skiff, Buffy kicked a guard back while swinging her saber to knock another one into the pit. She moved to cut Xander's bonds while Luke glanced up at the barge. Not anticipating trouble, Jabba had put a tarp over the turbo cannon which guards were quickly trying to remove. Another was putting a smaller cannon onto the railing, aiming it at the skiff to fire.

The blast struck at the rear of the skiff, shaking it. The blast struck near where Lando was fighting the guard, sending the two flying backward over the edge. Lando's luck held true, however, as he managed to grab a dangling cable while the unfortunate guard fell into the pit. "Help!" Lando yelled out as he swung over the pit, seeing the guard swallowed by the Sarlacc.

Before anyone above could move, a familiar armored figure strode onto the barge's deck. With a quick stride, Boba Fett activated his jetpack to blast outward. He landed on the skiff, aiming his blaster but a quick swing of Luke's light saber cut it in half. Another blast hit the skiff, shaking everyone, Han falling back with Chewie moving to protect him.

Seeing Luke distracted, Fett fired a cable from his wrist, wrapping the tight steel around his body. He struggled to get his saber up but Buffy saved him the trouble by slicing the cable with her own blade. She whirled on Fett but before she could strike, another laser blast struck right behind the bounty hunter. The impact was enough to send him to the deck, stunned.

"Han! Chewie! Anybody!" Lando yelled from his position below.

A blast of laser fire cut around the two JedI and they whirled to see the second skiff moving in, the dozen thugs on board firing. Buffy glanced at them and then at the barge where more of Jabba's thugs were gathering on the top. "You take that, I'll give the guys some cover."

Luke nodded before charging forward and with a single leap bounded from the first skiff to the second, his light saber flaring up to take on the guards. Buffy was quick to follow, somersaulting to the second skiff. She kept on going, kicking a guard back and shoving two others as she made her way to the rear of the skiff. She jumped onto the rearmost point and leapt out, the Force boosting her own Slayer abilities to allow her to land onto the side of the barge, grabbing a handhold among the steel window platings.

Xander ducked a blast of laser fire as he grabbed the long spear a guard had dropped. He handed it to Han as he tried to get another one. "Both of these together should be able to get to him!" he said.

Han was nodding as he rose up, not seeing Boba Fett slowly rising to his feet. The armored figure shook himself off as he saw Luke fighting on the second skiff, kicking a guard back. He raised one of his arm gauntlets, aiming it carefully at Luke. Behind him, Han heard Chewie's warning growls.

"Boba Fett?" he exclaimed. "Boba Fett? Where?" He turned, the spear swinging around with the rest of him to hit Fett right in his jetpack. It roared to life, sending Fett blasting forward, right at the barge. He was caught too off-guard to check his path as he headed toward the craft.

Buffy was climbing up the side when she heard Fett's arrival coming. She turned to see him flying toward her and waved a hand, using the Force to lift one of the doors on the side of the craft. Fett sailed right through it, a huge smashing sound echoing from within the barge's interior as he crashed. Buffy waved again as the door shut and a few seconds later, it bent outward in time to a roar, letting Buffy know the jet pack had exploded and Fett probably with it.

Back on the skiff, Han listened to Chewie's explanation. "Damn, wish I could have seen that." He was taken off guard as another laser blast struck at the center, knocking the occupants back. The entire skiff swung to the side, shaking Lando off the rope on onto the sand while knocking Xander off the side, grabbing the rope. Han sighed as Chewie quickly spoke to him. "Only these guys," he muttered as he moved to push the spear down to Xander. "Hand him this!" he yelled.

"Sure…no prob…right on it!" Xander yelled back, clutching the cable tightly with one hand as he tried to lower the spear down with the other. "Here!"

"A little lower!" Lando called out as he tried to reach it. It was difficult as he knew moving too much who loosen the sand beneath him and send him down into the pit. The constant blasts of laser fire were a distraction as well.

Inside the barge, Jabba was howling out as everyone rushed in multiple directions. Leia had grabbed a microphone from the musician stand nearby to smash it into some controls and the windows shuttered closed, throwing the interior into darkness which just increased the panicked atmosphere.

In a lightning fast move, Leia threw her chain around Jabba's throat and began pulling back. Seeing her, Willow followed suit, the two chains wrapping together to cut into the folded flesh. Jabba gasped as the two women bent back, yanking as hard as they could on the metal locks. Jabba gasped, trying to pull back but Leia and Willow used their leverage, straining as hard as they could. Willow added to it with a quick spell to strengthen her chain, linking it to a wall as she pulled. It ached like hell on her muscles but she kept doing it, her hatred for this vile creature pushing her on. Leia growled as she yanked, tapping into her own inner strength to destroy this monster.

Jabba gagged, trying to reach out, tried to call for help but his own weight worked against him. His tail flapped about constantly before he finally slumped forward, his tongue jutting out as his body went still. Leia and Willow both relaxed, letting out long breaths as they hopped off the dais.

Above, Buffy had just landed on the deck, her light saber igniting as she swung it out to cut down an attacking guard. She tried to get to the one blasting the cannon but more guards raced onto the deck, armed to the teeth and ready to fight. She watched as the cannon fired once more, shaking the skiff, its steering vanes keeping it from sliding over too far into the pit. The impact knocked Han forward, his feet catching on the edge of the skiff to keep him hanging.

"Do you just plan on making everything more difficult?" Xander yelled out as he tried to hold onto the cable and his spear. Lando was reaching up for it when a tentacle laced out from the Sarlacc to wrap around his leg. Lando yelped as it began to pull him down, Xander reaching down with the spear to try and reach him. "You two aren't still holding that Cloud City thing against me, are you?" Lando called out.

"Didn't until you reminded me of it!" Han yelled back.

Inside the barge, Leia pulled at her collar. "Hold still," Willow instructed. She reached out with her hands, whispering and a bolt of electricity sparked out to cut Leia's chain in half. She repeated the process with her own chain to free herself. "Come on, we have to get above."

They were racing off when they saw Threepio lying on the ground with the ferret-like Salacious Crumb chewing one of his eye sockets out. "Ah, help me, someone!" he called out, waving his arms.

Willow let out a kick that knocked the creature aside, snarling as it scampered off. "Thank you, Mistress Willow!" Threepio groaned as he rose up. The two women helped him along as the chaos continued around them.

Above, Luke leapt over the side, having climbed up from the side of the barge to attack the man at the cannon, cutting him down. Buffy was taking care of another guard, slicing across his chest while turning to kick another one back. Luke saw Leia and Willow racing onto the deck. "Get to the cannon!" he yelled.

Leia nodded to do so while a guard fired off a blaster shot that struck Buffy across the hand. She yelped in pain before slicing out at the man. She winced to check at the hand and saw the smoking hole that exposed the insides.

"Are you okay?" Luke called out as he sliced an attacker's spear in two.

Buffy flexed her fingers, watching as the mechanical servos of the artificial hand clicked together. "No damage," she said. She glared up, her eyes flaring. "But now they've pissed me off." She leapt back into battle, swinging her saber with a new fervor.

Down below, Lando was still trying to shake off the tentacle while holding the spear Xander was offering but it was a hard struggle. "Chewie!" Han called out. "Give me the gun." Despite a warning growl, Chewbacca complied as Han aimed the gun. "Don't move, Lando!"

"Wait, I thought you were blind!" the former smuggler protested.

"It's all right, blood's rushing to my head, helping me out."

"I got a choice?"

"Little higher!" Xander yelled as he saw the blaster aimed toward him. "Just a little higher!"

Han peered carefully before pulling the trigger. A single bolt erupted and struck the tentacle dead on. There was a squealing sound as the Sarlacc pulled it back. Urged on, Lando grasped the spear with Xander reaching up to Han. "Chewie, pull us up!" Han yelled as the Wookie yanked with all his considerable strength. Xander managed to hook himself up and aided them in helping Lando onto the craft.

Back on deck, Leia was swinging the large turbo cannons around to face the rear of the craft. Behind her, Buffy sliced down another attacker before nodding to Willow. "Come on, time to blow this place. Literally."

Willow shook her head, shuffling in her outfit. "What is this constant need you have to destroy every other vehicle you're in?"

"Nar Shaddar was not my fault!" Buffy stepped over the railing facing the now-empty second skiff. Willow soon joined her and with a leap, the two jumped across the gap and to the surface, Willow wincing at the landing. Buffy was already moving to the controls to fire up the skiff and fly it to the first one as Xander and Han helped Lando onto it.

Threepio was stumbling about at the side of the barge, looking about. "Artoo, I can't see a thing, how can I possibly jump…" Ignoring his words, Artoo bumped his colleague deliberately, sending them both over the side into the sand.

What few guards remaining on the deck had realized the battle was lost and were trying to high-tail it as far as they could. Luke joined Leia at the cannon as she set it up, aimed right at the engines. He pulled at a cable that had fallen loose from the roof, waving Leia over. "Don't worry, I have experience at this," he smiled to her as she wrapped her arms around him. Luke kicked at the cannon's trigger while also leaping outward. The cannon's lasers blasted right into the lower decks of the barge toward the engine, causing a massive explosion.

The duo swung outward to the skiff where Xander and Han were checking on a wound on Chewbacca's leg. "Let's go," Luke said as soon as they landed. "And don't forget the droids."

"We're on our way!" Lando grinned as he got the skiff going. They swung over two metallic shapes in the ground, Artoo's telescope and Threepio's legs sticking straight up. Lando activated the skiff's magnets to lock onto the two and rose them up. The skiff swung away as the sail barge's engines erupted. Flames spewed from a dozen places as secondary explosions went off. Then, as the skiff flew off, the entire barge exploded in a massive fireball, the flaming wreckage slumping by the pit.

"Man, the Jawas are gonna have a field day," Buffy noted as she saw the ruin behind her. "That's a flea market sale to them."

"Well, they are going to have to charge a discount for the smell of cooked Hutt," Xander noted.

Han blinked at Leia and smiled. "Hey, Princess…looking good."

Leia was torn between kissing him and punching him. She settled for a deep hug as they flew off.

"We are gonna have trouble getting off planet," Xander noted. "The Empire's got ships watching in case of a rescue."

"Actually, Artoo took care of that," Luke smiled at the small droid. "He accessed Jabba's system and sent out the word the Empire's coming down with a bunch of death warrants. Trust me, we'll have more than enough ships covering our escape."

"Why am I the only person here who does not seem aware of any plan?" Threepio complained.

"Just go with it, Goldenrod," Han said with a grin as the skiff flew on. "Plans never get anywhere near the results with this group as simple improv does."

"He knows how we roll," Buffy noted.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The flames were subsiding as a piece of debris lying on the sand began to shift about. It was thrust upward and a figure slowly rose from the sand. It winced as he held a hand to his side, brushing sand off its form, the armor burned at several spots but still hanging together. He groaned as he stood up and removed the helmet, gasping for breath while shaking sand out of it.

Boba Fett rubbed at his back, grateful once more for his idea putting a quick-release mechanism on his jetpack. As soon as he'd gotten into the barge, he'd let it go, able to roll away before it detonated. Fett had survived this long knowing a bad situation when he saw it and there was no profit in staying to fight two JedI. At least he was alive and that was more than Jabba could say.

He took a deep breath as he began walking in the direction of the palace. He had enough supplies to get there and he always made sure to have a backup escape plan in case of a quick getaway from Jabba.

He glanced at the tiny dot receding in the distance, eyes narrowing. "You win this one, Solo," he murmured. "We'll see how it goes for next time." He put his helmet back on as he began the long trek across the sands.


	6. Meetings of Shadows and Light

Return of the New Blood

By Michael Weyer

Meetings of Shadow and Light

It may benefit to read chapter four of my "New Blood Vignettes" before reading this.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Mara moaned as threw the small bag onto her smaller bed in her quite small room. Her stomach had finally settled down which was good as she had to pack fast. A scout had come to the palace with word of the disaster by the Pit and set off a flurry of activity with whoever was left in the palace. With Jabba dead, everyone knew a war was going to erupt over who'd take his spot and they didn't want to be in the middle of it.

Mara knew this was the end of her current assignment. All she had to do now was to leave, get back to Imperial space and report to the Emperor. She had already changed into a dark jumpsuit for her upcoming trip, her hair in a ponytail as she threw in her blaster. She hiked the bag onto her shoulder and turned to head to the door.

She hissed in pain as she approached it, holding her stomach. While the pain had passed for the most part, she still felt a little woozy and dizzy, her senses not as attuned as they normally were. Thus, she had no warning of the armored fist that shot through the door to smash right into her jaw.

Boba Fett stared down at the limp form with a calm expression. "Nothing personal, Jade," he remarked. "But you're my way into getting back on the successful track." He reached down to heft her up and carry her out of the palace.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The north side of the space above Tatooine was filled with a criss-cross of ships as two Star Destroyers and several TIEs clashed with the plethora of smuggler ships trying to escape the planet. Thus no one was paying much attention to the two X-Wings and large freighter blasting off on the other side of the planet.

"Not bad for flying out in a sandstorm," Luke noted in the cockpit of his X-Wing. He adjusted the controls as he and Buffy banked away from the Millennium Falcon. "We'll be meeting up with the fleet as soon as we can."

"Please, hurry," Leia said. "The fleet will be almost gathered by now."

"Hey, Luke, Summers," Han's voice cut through the comlink. "Thanks for this. I mean it. This time, I owe you two one."

"Pay it back soon," Buffy smiled as she adjusted her controls and the ships went their separate ways. Buffy pulled a glove over her wounded hand to hide the circuitry exposed underneath. She glanced over at Luke's X-Wing. "Sure about this?"

"We promised we'd come back," Luke reminded her. "We owe him that."

Buffy had to nod as the two ships flew off.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Inside the Falcon, Han was finishing a long sip from a bottle and slammed it down. "Damn, that was good. Haven't had a decent drink in a long time."

"Happy to see you back, boss," Xander grinned. "Been too boring without you helping out." Chewbacca moaned a bit as he rubbed a paw on Han's head.

"Ah, love you too, Chewie," Han grinned as he brushed his tousled hair. He watched as Leia entered, now clad in a dark brown jacket and pants, her hair pulled into a bun. "Damn, dressing down already, Princess?"

She fixed him with a cool glare although a smile was at her lips. "Just felt it was a bit too much to shock your newly healed eyes."

Han smirked. "I figured them telling me about that mess with Xizor would have handled any shocks."

"It wasn't that bad," Xander said.

Han rolled his eyes. "You let Goldenrod fly the Falcon?"

"It was a serious situation!"

"Yeah, yeah," Han sighed as he rose up. "I better get up front and help Lando out, make him remember who owns this ship again." He paused before looking at Leia. "We…do have to talk, Princess."

"Later," she said with a smile. "I promise that."

Han managed to smile before heading up. Xander looked to Leia. "He still loves you. You do know that. He just…has trouble making it known."

Leia smiled. "I know. But we have much more important matters in mind. We have to reach the fleet and assemble them for the attack soon."

"It's really that important?" They looked up to see Willow in the doorway, still clad in her slave uniform minus the chain.

Leia nodded. "More than you can imagine. The whole fleet will be gathered now for the attack."

Xander sighed as he stood up. "So much for a break."

"It is our lot in life," Willow noted as he headed to the cockpit. She looked to Leia. "Kasen will be there?"

"With the rest of the Rogues." Leia smiled at her. "Don't worry, Willow, she'll be waiting for you. She cares a lot."

"You should know that." Willow smiled back. "You two really should get it all out before we get to whatever this big mission is. You never know if you'll get another chance."

"You're usually more optimistic than that," Leia noted.

"Well, realism is coming more to my fore these days," the redhead returned.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The space about the Death Star was abuzz with activity as hundreds of TIE fighters flew about in packs of four. They formed a ring around the center of the half-finished station, flying in perfect formation for as intimidating a view as they could create.

Inside the main hanger, hundreds of storm troopers stood at perfect attention, willing themselves not to move a single muscle as a ramp was lowered from the shuttle sitting in the middle of the bay. Down from it flowed the infamous Imperial Guard, a vision in crimson with red cloaks over their armor, a black slit in their curved helmets making them look more inhuman than regular troops. They moved to stand at each side of the ramp, their long force pikes held up and ready.

At the bottom of the ramp, Darth Vader, Angelus, Commander Jerjerrod and a dozen officers stood ready. Jerjerrod was fighting a losing battle to keep open fear from his face as he prepared for the figure about to exit the craft. He spotted Darth Scourge and felt the fear grow as he saw actual anxiety on the man's face. And while he was sure it had to be his imagination, Jerjerrod would swear he heard that automatic breathing catch a bit as the shadowy form appeared at the top of the ramp. Instantly, he fell to his knees along with Vader, Scourge and the officers as Darth Sidious, Supreme Ruler of the Galactic Empire slowly walked down.

Vader could still remember the first time he'd seen Palpatine nearly forty years before. The bright and eager man with the trusting face was long gone, of course. In truth, he had never existed. That face of the caring politician had been as much a mask as the one Vader now wore. Vader believed that when that lightning had backfired onto Palpatine's face all those years ago, it hadn't scarred him so much as allow his true spirit to come forth. Twenty-five years of age, increased by his use of the Dark Side, had caused the scarring to increase to the point where the man barely resembled a human anymore. He wore the black cloak and hood to keep his face in shadow but one could see his now-yellow eyes if they were close enough.

He carefully walked down the ramp, a gnarled hand clutched around a wooden cane. His movements were slow but still strong, obviously weakened by age but still strong in power and authority. As he passed the kneeling Vader, he waved his hand. "Rise, my friend," he rumbled in a voice of cold flatness. "I would speak with you and Lord Scourge."

Both men rose to follow him as Palpatine wandered down the wide aisle created by the storm troopers. Every one was grateful for the helmets they wore to hide the terror that flowed over their faces unbidden as the three Sith passed by them.

"The Death Star will be completed on schedule, my master," Vader spoke.

"And at a paltry low cost of lives," Palpatine noted. "My congratulations on the restraint of both of you."

"Amazing just one disembowelment does for morale," Angelus remarked.

Palpatine smiled at that. "Now, I sense you both have wishes for these JedI, Skywalker and Summers."

"Yes, my Master," Vader confessed.

"Be patient," the Emperor said. "In time, they will seek you out, both of you."

"What are your orders now, my master?" Vader asked.

"Contact Admiral Piett," Palpatine said, his voice instantly devoid of any informality. "Tell him to take the fleet to the far side of the Endor moon, out of sight."

"What of the reports of the Rebel fleet massing near Sullust?" Vader asked.

"It is of no concern," Palpatine brushed off. "Soon the Rebellion will be crushed and at least one of those young JedI will be with us."

"And hopefully the other one is dead," Angelus said, licking his lips.

"Everything is happening as I have foreseen," the Emperor announced, his lips curving back in a hideous smile. "The end of the Rebellion and the JedI in one fell swoop."

The loud cackle he let out echoed throughout the hanger and made the coldness of space outside seem like a warm breeze.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

As always, the air of Dagobah was thick and fetid with a haze about the ground. While there was no rain, the air was still wet enough to affect those in its presence. The thin fire within the hut provided enough warmth for Luke and Leia to keep themselves comfortable while looking to their host.

Yoda grunted as he paced by the fire, his stick jabbing into the soft dirt. He seemed different than the last time the duo had seen him. His green ears drooped a bit and there seemed more white hair in them as well. His pace seemed weary as if he was struggling to stay upright, impossible to ignore.

"Look so old do I to your eyes?" he grumbled.

"No!" Luke quickly said. "Of course not."

Yoda sniffed. "I do, yes, I do. Sick I have become. Old and weak." He pointed his stick at them. "When nine hundred years you reach, look as good you will not."

"Thanks for reminding me of my fading youth," Buffy sarcastically said. She brushed her hair back. "Then again, never figured I'd be living so long as it was…"

Yoda hobbled across the room, struggling to get into the small bed. "Soon I will rest. Yes, the forever sleep. Earned it, I have." He lay back, pulling the small blanket around him.

Luke shook his head in denial. "Master Yoda, you can't die."

Yoda grunted. "Strong am I with the Force…but not that strong! Twilight is upon me and soon night must fall." He sighed. "Such is the way of the Force."

Buffy shook her head. "Come on, after all these centuries, you can't just give up!"

A small smile came to Yoda's face. "The young. The inevitable, they believe they can always fight."

"But we need your help," Luke pressed. "We need to complete our training."

Yoda turned on his side, shaking his head. "No more training do you require."

Luke and Buffy exchanged a surprised look. "Then…we are JedI?" Luke asked.

Yoda paused before shaking his head again. "No…not yet. Vader and Scourge…you must face them and defeat them. Only then, JedI will you be."

Luke was silent. "He's my father, Master. I just…I can't…"

"Luke…." Yoda croaked. "Do not…underestimate power of dark side…or Emperor. When gone am I…last of the JedI you shall be. Do your duty, you must."

"I can handle it," Buffy coldly said, flexing the fingers of her artificial hand. "I'll repay him big time."

Yoda glared at her with all his remaining strength. "Go in with anger…and win they shall. A JedI's strength is compassion, not rage. Justice not revenge. Call for you the Dark Side does…To resist is key but do it you must."

He settled back, groaning and his life was clearly fading from him. Luke reached out to rub his small shoulder as Buffy felt her heart sink at the sight of this proud being fading before her eyes. Despite all the times she'd snapped at his lessons, she hadn't felt this close to a mentor since Giles and the master had opened her to a new world of abilities while keeping her on track.

"Luke…" Yoda whispered, his eyes drooping as he gazed up at the young man. "The Force…runs strong…in your family. Pass on…what you have learned." His shut as his voice croaked out. "There…is…another…Sky…walk…er…"

With that, he slumped back, taking a long and slow breath. His body went still as it finally died. There was a pause and then his body began to literally fade away until the physical form of the ancient JedI was gone, the blanket falling onto the empty bed.

Buffy felt a tear flow down her cheek. She didn't want it, she knew she had to be stronger than that, as both a Slayer and a JedI. But she couldn't help it as she felt a bit of her heart die along with Yoda. She stood up and walked out of the hut immediately, rubbing her eyes. Luke soon followed, gazing out at the swamp.

"What happens to his home?" she asked in lieu of anything else to say.

"He carved it out of the swamp," Luke said in a flat voice. "I guess he wouldn't mind if it was returned that way." He looked about the land and sighed. "I just don't know if we can do this, Buffy…"

"_Yoda will always be with you. And so shall I_."

At the unearthly voice, the two turned to see the ghostly figure of Obi-Wan Kenobi walk through the swamp toward them. He was still in the robes he had died in, his face compassionate as he came to them. _"I know it hurts but he is one with the Force now, as am I. I now the pain, I felt it so many times during the Clone Wars. But believe this was the way he wanted."_

Luke sighed. "I can't do it, Ben. I can't kill my own father."

Kenobi sighed, a remarkable effect for a ghost. "_Then the Emperor has won. You were our last hope_."

Buffy frowned. "Yoda mentioned another….another Skywalker."

Kenobi was silent before sitting down, collecting his thoughts. "_The other he mentioned_…" He looked at Luke. "_Was your twin sister_."

Luke stared, baffled. "But…I have no sister."

"_Your mother gave birth to you both just before she died_," Kenobi explained. "_We made sure that was secret, that your mother was buried as if she was still pregnant. We knew that if the Emperor learned Anakin had offspring, they would be a threat to him because of their strength in the Force. Thus, we split you apart, your sister safely anonymous."_

Luke frowned at that, his mind whirling at this sudden addition of intrigue to his life. He had to wonder who this woman was, this sister he'd never met. She had to be strong, someone who could command, someone…

His eyes widened in shock as it hit him. "Leia. Leia is my sister!"

Buffy's jaw dropped. "Are you kidding me?"

Obi-Wan nodded. "_Your insight serves you well. Bury it deep or the Emperor shall use it against you. Your sister was adopted by Bail Organa and raised as his own daughter, never knowing the truth. I took you to your father's step-brother, Owen, with orders to keep you safe."_

Buffy was recovering from her shock. "That explains why Owen was always so gung-ho about keeping you at the farm."

"_He may have gone a bit too far_," Obi-Wan admitted. "_But he did his best and did love you in his own way."_ His mood grew somber. "_Again, you must keep this quiet and hidden. If the Sith learn of this, it may cause horrible damage."_

Buffy brushed at her hair. "Great, more complications, just what we need." She sighed. "Look, if we need to take down the Sith, that's fine with me, I'm willing to do what it takes."

"_That is what they want_," Obi-Wan said, fixing her with a hard look. "I _failed to see the anger in Anakin before it was too late but I see it in you, Buffy. You cannot fight Angelus with rage in your heart or the Dark Side will claim you." _

Buffy was silent at that as Ben looked to Luke. "_You cannot fight your destiny, Luke. You must fight and defeat Darth Vader or the Sith will claim total victory over the galaxy_."

Buffy sighed deeply and looked away. "Figures. I finally get someone telling me something clear-cut and it's an end-of-the-universe thing." She looked upward. "I never thought I'd actually be admiring Faith for an easy life."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**


	7. Complicated Briefings

Return of the New Blood

By Michael Weyer

**Complicated Briefings**

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Sullust was a volcanic world that wasn't usually home to any important matters. It was a port for dark deals and shady meetings, the surface mostly uninhabitable due to its high ash and lava-filled ground. The skies, however, were a different story altogether.

In the years since it had begun its full-scale war against the Empire, the Rebel Alliance had built up their fleet the best they could. They were aided by some of the best ship-builders around, especially the Mon Calamari whose cruisers were the main bulk vessels. Smaller ships were about from every Alliance-affiliated world in the galaxy, hundreds of vessels crowding about from shuttles the freighters and everything in between. Fighters zipped between them, the reliable X and Y-Wings along with newer craft like the small and fast A-Wings and the bulky but powerful B-Wings.

Never before had the Rebellion committed so much of their forces to one place. It was against their long-standing rules to keep themselves separate so as not to present too obvious a target to the Empire. But this was different. This was the build-up to what could very well be the single most important battle of the entire war and everyone in the Rebellion wanted to be part of it.

Floating at the center of it all was _Home One_, the flagship of the fleet. The largest and most powerful ship of the fleet, it was sleek and pointed with that unique design of the Mon Calamari, looking more grown than built. The inside was as advanced as any Imperial ship with a lighter style to it.

The center was the main briefing room where dozens were gathering. The room was circular with benches set in rows facing the holographic projector at its centerpiece. Officers, captains, pilots and soldiers mingled, talking amongst themselves, chattering about what could be coming that would warrant such a gathering. Several pilots were welcoming back Han Solo who stood with his friends. Leia was wearing a nice tan Rebel uniform with her hair in a bun while Willow wore one of her favorite red outfits with her hair hung loose. Xander was wearing a dark shirt and jacket with his own pants while Chewbacca hung back with only his bandolier.

Amid the crowd, Lando walked about, dressed in a rather stylish tan uniform with a light cape, acting like he perfectly belonged. Han came up to him chuckling, clad in his old black and white outfit. "Well, look at you, a general!"

Lando made a show of humility that didn't fit him at all. "I guess someone told me about my little maneuver at the Battle of Taanab." Years before, Lando had wiped out a band of bandits attacking a small colony with some amazing flying skills…and all for a bet.

Han held out his hands. "Hey, don't look at me, pal. I just told them you were a fair pilot. I didn't know they were looking for someone to lead the crazy attack."

"I want to do it. I owe the Empire."

Han raised his eyebrows at his old friend. "You ever seen one of those Death Stars? You're in for a short generalship, buddy."

Lando smirked. "I'm surprised they didn't ask you."

"Who says they didn't?" Han smirked back. "But I'm not crazy. You're the respectable one, remember?"

Leia smiled and took Han's arm. "Han will be with me on the command ship. And we're very proud of what you're doing, Lando."

Willow's attention was caught by a flash of raven-black hair nearby and she smiled. "Be right back." She broke away from the others to move to the attractive woman in a pilot uniform. The woman smiled back as she embraced Willow and kissed her on the lips.

"Glad to have you back," Kasen Moor breathed. The former Imperial pilot had cut her hair a bit shorter but otherwise was still the confident and skilled woman Willow had grown close to over the last several months. It had felt odd at first for her to be with a woman, so many years of thinking straight pushed in her mind. But Kasen…Kasen just made her feel so good, more than anyone she'd ever been with. She had no idea where this was going but she wanted to find out whatever it took.

Willow looked around and took a deep breath. "Damn. This really is the big one, isn't it?"

Kasen nodded. "They're keeping it quiet but you know how rumors are in the fleet. They've been cramming us in tighter formations and more high-risk maneuvers. No doubt about it, they're prepping for something major."

Willow noted many in the briefing room were settling into seats. "I guess we're about to find out." She and Kasen moved to sit with Han, Leia and Chewbacca as Lando stood nearby. The conversations died out as a trio of people strode up to the main center of the room.

The one in the center got the most attention. Mon Mothama had been one of the key leaders of the Rebellion ever since it was founded. She was known for a steely resolve that put most generals to shame and an aura of command that had managed to keep the Rebellion going. It took a certain type of person to get so many differing factions and races to work together towards the common goal of defeating a far more powerful enemy. She stood proud now, her red hair lighter but her lined face still quite beautiful as she wore a flowing dress, almost angelic…a warrior angel.

She gazed around before speaking in a soft but strong tone. "The data brought to us by our Bothan spies has been confirmed. The Emperor has made a critical error and the time has come for our attack."

A murmur went out as Mon leaned forward to activate the central holographic projector. It lit up as the lights around the room dimmed, creating the image of a green moon circling around. Rotating around it was a red shape that looked like an uncompleted globe, marking the Death Star. "We now have the exact location of this Death Star at the moon of Endor. With the Imperial fleet spread throughout the galaxy in a vain attempt to catch us, the station is relatively unprotected. But most importantly of all…we have learned the Emperor himself is overseeing the final stages of construction."

A larger murmur went up as everyone took that in and Mothma's expression grew cooler. "Many Bothans died to bring us this information." She broke away, backing up and waving at the man behind her. "Admiral Ackbar."

The Mon Calamari officer stepped forward. Like the rest of his species, he was humanoid with orange skin, his hands long-fingered and webbed, his head large and angular with the back forming a dome. Large yellow eyes were situated at either side of the head, blinking as they took in the room. If humans were the heart of the Alliance, the Mon Calamari were the soul. He wore a white and gray uniform as he motioned at the hologram. "Although the weapons systems on this Death Star are not yet operational, it is not without a strong defense mechanism." His voice had a slight gurgle to it but still confident as he went on. "It is protected by an energy shield projected from the moon of Endor."

At his words, a beam of light flew from the moon and surrounded the Death Star in a ball. "No weapon can penetrate this field. The shield must be deactivated before any assault can begin." The field faded. "Once the shield is down, our cruisers can form a perimeter while the fighters penetrate the battle station." The Death Star's image grew to become the main focus for the projection. It was quickly split into a three-dimensional cross-section that was marked by a yellow beam leading to the center. "They will attempt to knock out the main reactor within." A dot flashed as it went down the shaft to the center and in a bright flash, the projection vanished.

The lights brightened as Ackbar waved at Lando. "General Calrissian has volunteered to lead the attack."

"Good luck," Han called out over the congrautionals. As Lando glanced at him, the smuggler couldn't help adding "You're gonna need it."

Ackbar backed away, allowing General Crix Madine to step forward. The grey-haired former Imperial defector still retained some of his old training, ramrod straight as he held a small stick in his hands, speaking in a clear voice. "We have acquired a small Imperial shuttle. Disguised as a cargo ship and using a stolen Imperial code, we will land a small strike team on the moon to deactivate the shield generator."

Leia raised an eyebrow. "Wonder who they found to pull that one off?"

"Probably some poor son of a bitch who lost a coin flip," Xander said.

"General Solo," Madine announced. "Is your strike team assembled?"

Everyone started and glanced at Han. The man actually seemed embarrassed as he shuffled in his seat. "Ah, my team is ready but I don't have a command crew for the shuttle."

Chewbacca instantly raised his hand with a loud roar. "It's gonna be dangerous, buddy, I didn't want to speak for you," Han quickly said.

"We're a package deal, boss," Xander said, raising his hand. "You oughta know that by now."

Han smiled as he turned to Madine. "That's two."

"Three," Leia said, her face beaming with pride as she wrapped an arm around Han.

"Don't forget us." Everyone turned to see Luke and Buffy stepping in from a side doorway, cheers going up at the sight of the last of the JedI. Leia came over to hug them both, stepping back and frowning at Luke's face. "What's wrong?"

He sighed. "I'll explain later."

Buffy smiled at her friends. "So, miss anything?"

"Nah, just running through our choice to all die young," Xander dryly said. Behind them, an aide was coming up to talk to Mon Mothma.

"Business as usual then."

Mon Mothma came up to them, her frown deep. "Ah, I believe you should accompany me to the docking bay. It would appear we have a…situation."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The idea of having a hundred guns pointed at one single man would seem to be overkill in most cases. When the man in question was Boba Fett, one might wish to have more guns.

If the bounty hunter seemed concerned at the squads of Rebels training weapons on him from every corner of the large docking bay, he didn't show it. He leaned on the side of his ship nonchalantly, his gun at his side. He turned his helmet as he saw the group of newcomers approach and stare in astonishment.

"How in the hell…" Buffy began.

"Trade secret," Fett intoned.

Han brushed to the lead, a hand on his blaster as his face went cold. "The hell are you doing here, Fett?"

"Relax, Solo, not here for you," the bounty hunter said with a wave of his hand. "It's just business." He reached into the ship and gave a tug to a chain. With a grunt, Mara Jade came tumbling out, a collar wrapped around her neck and her hands manacled together before her. Around her shoulders was wrapped a small yellowish creature that appeared attached to the collar.

Both Luke and Buffy started suddenly, gasping as they felt a sever in the air around them. "The hell?" Buffy gaped. "The Force just…"

"Vanished…" Luke finished.

"Ysalamir," Fett answered with some smugness. "Rare creatures but good to have. They project bubbles that basically cut you off from the Force within a certain distance. Picked one up a while back but didn't need it until now."

"What do you want?" Leia demanded.

"Simple bargain. The Emperor's Hand in exchange for….oh, let's say fifty thousand?"

"Fifty thousand?!" Leia's eyes bugged at that.

"I'd ask more but I'm aware you Rebels don't have that much cash floating at hand," Fett answered. "I think that one of the Emperor's key aides is worth it. I'll throw the ysalamir in for free."

"Why us?" Leia asked with suspicion. "Why not deal with the Empire?"

Fett snorted. "She's blown at least two big assignments, Princess. Scourge and Vader would just tell me to blast her myself."

"I thought you were on their side," Buffy noted.

"Only side I'm on is mine, girl," Fett said. "Besides, I know someone in love with their own ego when I see it. Those are a dangerous type to work for."

Mon set her lips straight. "I am not inclined to bargain with a rouge such as yourself."

Fett shrugged. "I'm offering a prime piece of intelligence. Sides, you folks are gearing up for some big battle and chances are you won't be needing the cash anytime soon. Might as well put it to some good use."

Han crossed his arms. "And we just let you fly out of here and sell our location to the Empire?"

"They already know." Everyone turned to where Mara was standing, as cool as she could be. "You think you can have hundreds of ships gathering and no one in the Empire finds out about it? They know you're doing a big offensive, not sure where but they know and they'll probably be ready."

Mothma made a sly smile. "You might be surprised."

Mara shook her head. "The Emperor has plans within plans, most of which I know nothing about. You can't surprise him and you can't play him no matter what you may think."

"We have black belts at being sneaky," Buffy retorted with a smirk.

"Do we have a deal here or not?" Fett announced. "Come on, I've got places to be."

Mothma was silent, mulling it over before she spoke. "We shall pay you the fifty thousand…And an additional twenty-five if you join us."

It was hard to tell exactly whose jaw was dropped lower in the bay. Of course, it was impossible to tell with Fett but he actually started in place as he stared at Mon with everyone else. "Heybuwha?" Buffy finally blurted.

Mon kept herself calm as she spoke. "From what I have heard, you are an expert pilot and we can use plenty of those. Your ship can be most beneficial as well."

Fett let out a laugh. "Are you kidding me, lady? I'm no Rebel and no hero. I'm a guy who gets paid for a fight but I don't take losing propositions."

"Really?" Mothma raised an eyebrow. "You have undertaken many seemingly impossible jobs and always succeeded. You're known for never failing. I would think you would wish to continue that."

Fett bent his head to the side as he studied her. "You're serious, aren't you?"

"Force help us, I think she is," Buffy remarked, turning on Mothma. "This guy is a mercenary!"

"Bounty hunter, clear difference," Fett inserted.

"You actually want to put any trust in him!" Han snapped.

Mon faced him, her face resolute. "As I recall, General, you demanded money rather than participate in the first Death Star attack but you returned."

"Score one for the boss," Kasen muttered.

Mon turned back to Fett. "If the Empire wins, you lose, Fett. You're intelligent enough to know they won't allow rampant crime as it threatens them."

"They can't stop it," Fett shrugged. "It'll sink in just as it did in the Old Republic."

"But people like you, people who are willing to challenge the status quo, will be quick casualties," Mon pointed out. "By aiding us, you aid yourself. You've gotten on the bad side of the Emperor with this move against his Hand. You truly believe there will be no retribution?"

Fett was silent as he cradled his blaster, considering her words for a long moment. "An extra fifty thousand."

"Thirty."

"Forty-five."

"Forty."

"Deal."

Mon motioned to a pair of guards. "Escort the prisoner to a cell until we can question her." They nodded pulling Jade back. The woman locked eyes with Xander who returned her stare without expression as she was marched away. As soon as she was gone, Luke and Buffy felt the Force return to them. "That…was uncomfortable," Buffy said.

Han shook his head at Mon. "I can't believe you want us to trust this guy."

"He'll just up and leave us if things go bad," Leia said.

Fett seemed to growl at that. "When I take a job, I don't leave until it's finished. Even Solo knows that. I may think this is suicide but I'll stick with it as long as I get paid when it's done."

He leaned back on his ship, looking over everyone. "So…any chance for a meal around this place?"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

**Apologies for the long delay but this one requires a bit more thought than others. Hope this makes up for it. **


	8. Trip Preperations

**Return of the New Blood**

**By Michael Weyer**

**Trip Preparations**

**I know, I know, it's been a LONG time since I updated. I do apologize for that, tricky making this final part of the saga work. Hope this makes up for it.**

* * *

Talon Karrde was not a man used to having his day interrupted. The smuggling game was a complicated one, requiring a lot of legwork, labor work and even the occasional paperwork. On top of all that, he had to remain alert just in case one of several individuals wanting his head decided to drop in on him without warning and he had to run.

Thus, Karrde relished what free time he had. He was sitting in his small office, his long dark hair streaked with grey, his face marked by a thick mustache dipping to his chin with a patch of hair on the chin itself. He was wearing his standard outfit of brown pants, white shirt and brown coat with fur lining the collar. He let out a sigh, putting his drink aside as he leaned in to flick at the beeping communicator. "Yes?"

The screen was blurry before forming into an all-too-familiar helmeted figure. _"Hello, Karrde. Been a while."_

"Fett," Karrde muttered. "Heard you were dead."

"_You should know better than to believe the rumor mill,"_ the bounty hunter said. _"I'm actually calling in that favor you owe me."_

Karrde suppressed the sweat that wanted to appear on his forehead. "And what does this entail?"

"_I've been hired by the Rebellion," _Fett answered. _"They need a few extra ships for the big offensive on the Empire. I figured you could scare a few up."_

Karrde's eyebrows shot up in a rare show of surprise. "The Rebellion? Never struck me as the type to work on the right side of things, Fett."

"_I go with who pays me," _Fett snapped. _"I know that you have some connections, Karrde. You have to know some guys with some ships to spare and an eagerness to help out."_

Karrde snorted. "Appealing to my good nature, Fett?"

"_To your wallet,"_ he replied. _"You know I can get some cash to you for this, Karrde and you could use it."_

Karrde was quiet for a moment, stroking his beard in thought. "When and where," he asked.

"_Forwarding the coordinates now," _Fett replied. "_They're on a coded time lock, they'll be released so you can get there but not enough to transmit them."_

Karrde didn't even bother showing any outrage at the lack of trust. Instead he simply nodded back. "I'll do my best." He paused and smiled softly. "Best be careful, Fett. You almost sound like you believe in their cause."

"_Only side I'm on is mine, Karrde."_

"Pretty sure Solo said much the same once." The smuggler pushed a button to cut off Fett's retort. He leaned back in his chair in long though, mulling the offer and the possibilities around him. He then leaned forward to push another button to his assistant. "Get me the current heading for _Peregrine's Nest."_

* * *

The detention area of _Home One_ wasn't as dingy as an Imperial center but still held the cold feeling of a jail. The cell Mara Jade sat in was comfortable but still a bit small. She was making do with it, sitting cross-legged on the cot, eyes shut. She couldn't feel the force with the lizard creature hanging just outside her cell but could feel its power working still, cutting off the Force. She blocked it out as best she could and she tried to focus her inner being and thoughts.

"Enjoying the place?"

She let out a tired sigh at the familiar voice, her eyes opening. Xander was standing in front of her, arms crossed, his face expressionless. He watched as Mara smoothly rose to her feet, stretching out a bit.

"I've been in worse," she answered. She looked him over carefully. "So…go ahead. I know you've been waiting to get this off your chest since Cloud City."

Xander just looked at her, not with the anger she expected but sadness. "Why me?"

Mara shrugged. "Right place, right time. You were single, drunk, easy enough to get with you. The trooper attack pushed us together and it went from there."

Xander just kept looking at her. "So that's all I was? Just a job?"

Mara returned his gaze, her own face set hard. "Yeah. Just a job."

Xander kept staring at her. "I don't believe that."

Mara snorted. "That's why it was so easy to fool you. You always look for the best in things."

"You obviously never been to Sunnydale," Xander remarked. He crossed his arms before him as he looked at her. "You said you weren't faking it in bed. What we had…what we shared…you can't just tell me it was all a lie."

"I'm a spy, Harris," she snapped at him. "You think you're the first guy I've conned into bed? You're not. I've been trained to fool people. It's my job."

"Yeah, on that, exactly how'd you get into this, anyway?" Xander asked. "I really wanna know, how do you become a personal agent to the Emperor?"

Mara looked away, obviously uncomfortable with this. "It's not important."

"It is to me," Xander pressed. "What, you have anything better to do now?"

She was silent for a moment before sighing. "When I told you I didn't know my parents, that wasn't a lie. I really don't know much of myself before Palpatine found me and began training me. He taught me how to live, how to use the Force, how to serve him. If not for him…I'd be out on the streets or maybe even dead." She looked up at him with an actual touch of emotion in her eyes. "I owe him everything."

"You owe him jack-shit."

She scoffed. "You wouldn't understand."

"Yeah, I wouldn't," Xander said. "Because I don't let myself get brow-beaten by other people. I don't let myself get used."

Mara glared as she rose to her feet. "He helped me…"

"He's using you, Mara!" Xander snapped, surprising her with his anger. "That's what he does! He used Dooku to get a war started and got rid of him. He turned Vader from a noble Jedi to a monster. It's what he does. He doesn't care about you at all, you're just another tool for him. You heard Fett, you go back now and he'll have you tortured to death for failing him. You think you're special just because you're his Hand? Or are you the only one?"

Her wince told him he'd struck home. "You're not, are you? You're not his only personal agent at all but he let you think you were. Ten to one, he lets them all think the same thing, to build up their loyalty to him. He doesn't care about people as anything more than chess pieces, Mara. As soon as you don't belong on the board, he'll have no problem sacrificing you and moving on."

"It's not like that…"

Xander rolled his eyes. "God, talk shows would have a field day with your attitude." He leaned toward the force field of the cell. "Mara…You're better than this. I know it."

"You never knew me, Harris," she snapped at him. "Not the real me. I made sure of that."

Xander couldn't help smiling a little. "You can fake a lot, Mara but not everything. Granted, my experience with women isn't as wide-ranged as I might like but I do know two fine women who have granted me further insights. And I know when a woman isn't faking more than just the sex. You have a good heart, Mara. I've seen that. You don't need to follow a guy who's going down."

Mara scoffed. "You truly think you can beat him, Harris? The man's smarter than anyone in this Rebellion. You can try but he'll stop you and crush you."

"Seeing as how you're with us now, that doesn't put you in a good spot," Xander pointed out. He was quiet for a moment before speaking again. "You were with us for over a year. You saw us, you hung out with us, worked with us. You know better than anyone what the Empire is like. You're actually going to tell me you think they're worth following?"

Her silence was telling, as was her refusal to look at him. Xander paused before leaning over to hit a button. There was a shimmering as the force field faded. Mara was surprised as she turned around to see it fading. A pair of Rebels appeared next to Xander, their guns aimed right at her. Without her connection to the Force, Mara decided it was best to avoid fighting right now.

Xander was moving toward her, removing something from his pocket. It resembled a metal collar as he moved in. Mara instinctively pulled back and the troopers raised their weapons. "They'll stun you if they have to," Xander said in a flat voice. Mara let herself relax a bit as Xander attached the collar around her neck, the two halves fusing together. She gasped as she felt an electrical charge at the connection. "The hell is this?"

"A little something Willow cooked up," Xander explained. "Mixes in some of her…tricks with some technology. You try connecting to the Force or fiddle with it in anyway and it'll give you one hell of a shock, bigger than you'd be trained for."

Mara rubbed at it and winced as she felt a shock go through her just at the touch. "What is this for?"

A grim smile came to Xander's face. "Because you're going a little field trip."

* * *

"I still say bringing Jade along is a bad idea," Lando said as he and Han marched through the hanger bay of the cruiser. Slews of fighters and other craft were spread out as mechanics worked overtime to get them in fighting shape as soon as possible.

"Not my choice," Han replied. "They think she can be valuable for info in the field and get the feeling they prefer her off the fleet during the attack."

Lando glanced at the nearby Imperial shuttle. It stood out among the Rebel ships with its grey hull and sinister design. The group of top Rebel commandos were loading the last of the supplies up the ramp as Luke supervised them. "Well, as long as the kids are along to keep an eye on her, it should be okay. As long as she doesn't interfere in the attack."

"Yeah, on that," Han began, his face sober. "Listen…I want you to take the _Falcon." _

Lando started in surprise. "What?"

Han motioned toward the ship nearby. "I mean it. Look, she's the fastest ship in the fleet, ok? You need all the help you can get."

Lando looked at it, then back at Han and smiled. "Thanks, Han. I know that means a lot to you. I'll take good care of her. She won't get a scratch, I promise."

Han nodded, patting him on the arm. "Good luck." He turned to go, walking a few steps before stopping and turning around. "I got your promise. Not a scratch?"

Lando laughed. "Get out of here, you pirate!" Han headed toward the shuttle, still seeming unsure of himself.

Nearby, Buffy was giving Willow a hug. "You take care of yourself, ok?"

"I'll be fine," Willow said, returning the hug. "I told you, I'll be right at Lando's side."

"Why do you think I'm worried?"

Willow giggled before rubbing Buffy's arm, feeling the metal where her forearm had once been. "You…you be careful yourself, ok?"

"Don't worry," Buffy replied. "Only ones who have to be scared are Vader and Angelus." Her face was set hard as she spoke, a flash of anger in her eyes.

Willow bit her lip. "Buffy…I know you're pissed, I get that. But…don't let it overcome you, ok?"

"Hey, I know about the dark side, Willow."

"Knowing and overcoming are different things, Buffy. I know that." She rubbed her friend's shoulder. "I don't want you to go down that path, ok? Just…try to keep it cool as best you can."

Buffy smiled at her. "I will. I promise." With a final hug, she headed up into the shuttle as Willow gazed after her with a solemn expression of worry.

* * *

Inside the shuttle, Buffy passed by Mara. The redhead was strapped to a nearby chair by six belts, manacles on her wrists and ankles and a chain attached to her collar. The two commandos sitting across from her had their rifles aimed right at her unwavering. It might have seemed overkill to some but Buffy had experienced her first-hand enough to know this was needed.

She paused and leaned in, getting her face right into Mara's. "One step out of line…one attempt to warn any troopers down there…And I'm going Xena on your ass, get me?"

Mara just looked back without altering her expression one bit. Whether it was due to lack of fear or not understanding the reference was unclear. Buffy rose and headed toward the cockpit. She passed Artoo and Threepio, the two droids strapped into a side corner. "Why I let myself get talked into these things, I'll never know!" Threepio sighed.

Artoo whistled at him.

"If you must know, it is because I simply cannot let Master Luke and Mistress Buffy get themselves into danger without my knowing about it! Someone must keep an eye out to let them stay out of trouble."

Artoo whistled again and Threepio gave him an electronic glare. "I hardly think you are the best candidate for keeping people out of danger!"

A sharp beep ringed out.

"It was hardly my fault I was shot to pieces, now was it? I remind you, you were nearly blasted apart in the first Death Star battle! It's not just them I have to help but you. The last time I let you out of my sight, you were nearly eaten by a swamp creature!"

Another beeping and two whistles echoed.

"Oh, switch off!"

Han and Chewbacca were behind the controls, the Wookie growling as he shuffled in the seat. "I don't think the Empire had Wookies in mind when they built this thing, Chewie," Han responded.

Luke was nearby in one chair, Leia in the other while Xander sat behind the two pilots. Buffy slid into a seat next to Luke, giving him a warm smile. He returned it as the shuttle's engines warmed up. Han was pausing as he gazed out the window at the circular ship not far off.

"You ok?" Leia asked.

"Yeah, just…funny feeling. Like I'm not going to see her again."

"What did I tell you about tempting fate, boss?" Xander rhetorically asked.

Buffy leaned in toward him. "You okay? With Mara?"

Xander was quiet before looking back at her "She's not all bad, Buffy. I know she's not."

Buffy was frowning but Luke was giving Xander a nod of support. "Believe in that," he said. "That faith can help a lot."

Xander winced. "Ah, got issues with the word 'faith' thrown at me."

With a rumble, the shuttle lifted off and moved toward the hanger entrance. It passed through the force field and into the open space where the fleet moved. The wings extended downward into their proper position as Han and Chewbacca worked the controls. Han frowned at the ship passing nearby. "I still can't believe we have Fett here."

"We're keeping an eye on him," Leia said. "Whatever else, the man does have a code of honor regarding keeping to a job."

"I always thought 'Mandalorian honor' was an oxymoron," Han remarked, Chewbacca barking in reply. "Ah, well, that's the fleet's issue now."

Xander moved back from a nearby console. "Course is plotted, ready to hit the highway."

Han nodded as he pulled back on the throttle and the whine of the sublight engines took hold. The stars before them began to streak and then erupted into a blue tunnel of light as the shuttle entered hyperspace.

Buffy shivered. "Still get the creeps at doing that."

"Should be at Endor in a couple of hours," Xander announced.

Han nodded. "Good. We get past the fleet, disembark, get to the generator and blow it. Easy as cake."

Buffy frowned and looked around. "Does anyone here honestly believe it's going to go that easy?"

A telling silence answered her.

"Oh, good, I was worried this would be different than usual."

* * *

**Again, sorry for the long delay, hopefully it won't be nearly as long until the next update, thanks for hanging in there and all reviews welcomed. **


	9. The Endor Express

**Return of the New Blood**

**By Michael Weyer**

**Yes, another ridiculously long and inexcusable delay for various factors but hoping to get it back on track.**

**The Endor Express**

****

**

* * *

**

Coming out of hyperspace was always a unique experience but this one came with a case of déjà vu for most of those in the cockpit of the Imperial shuttle. Hanging in the sky over the moon of Endor was the Death Star, its half-completed form oddly more terrifying than the previous fully built version. Adding to the foreboding picture was the sight of the Super Star Destroyer _Executor_ floating nearby with dozens of TIE fighters zipping about. Everyone in the cockpit had to sit and process the image silently for a few moments.

"Okay, here's what I don't get," Xander broke the silence. "It took them twenty years to build that first Death Star and get it operational but they managed to get this one almost done in a quarter of the time?"

"According to the intel we've managed to recover," Leia stated. "It took longer than the Empire expected to get that first station powered up correctly. It was pretty much unknown territory, they had a lot of trial and error as well as waiting for technology to improve so they could properly generate the right laser strikes. This time, they knew what to do right."

"Plus," Luke added. "Palpatine was busy consolidating his power base. He knew that if word got out he was building a doomsday weapon, it could instigate an early uprising. He had to keep it top secret from even the majority of the Imperial military so the construction was on some tight constraints." He shrugged. "Once we destroyed the first one, he didn't have to bother hiding throwing the full resources of the Empire on a new model."

"Thank heavens for progress," Buffy sarcastically said.

There was a crackling sound from the speakers. _"Imperial shuttle, identify yourselves at once."_

Han leaned in to flick a button. "This is Imperial shuttle _Tydirium_, requesting landing on the moon of Endor."

_"Shuttle _Tydirium_, the shield will be lowered as soon as you transmit your access codes."_

"Transmitting now," Han said as he typed in some keys and sat back. "Fingers crossed, kids."

"Time to see if that code is worth the price in lives we paid," Leia stated.

Han tapped his fingers on the console. "Keep our distance, Chewie. But don't make it _look _like we're keeping our distance." The Wookie let out a questioning grumble. "I don't know, fly casual." The Wookie frowned at the odd command but did his best as the shuttle flew closer toward the massive Imperial ship.

* * *

It was a surprise to many that Firmus Piett was not only still an admiral in the Imperial fleet but still alive. Darth Vader's penchant for executing commanders had become so commonplace that the "officer death pool" had become a popular pastime among the common soldiers on each ship. Yet, Piett managed to defy all expectations as he continued to serve aboard the vessel. His survival was more impressive given how he was one of the few officers in the fleet willing to speak openly about Vader's motives and even question the Dark Lord in public. Some believed that might well be a reason for his continued living, that Vader respected the opinions of a competent soldier who was still loyal to the Empire.

Whatever the case, Piett was still an officer through and through and thus straightened as Vader marched toward the console he was standing by. Like everyone, Piett felt more than slight fear in the presence of the Sith Lord. At least Darth Scourge was on the other side of the bridge, staring out the window. "Where is that shuttle going?" Vader asked without preamble.

Piett leaned over to click a switch. "Shuttle _Tydirium_, what is your cargo and destination?"

After a crackle of static, the answer came over the communicator. _"We're transferring parts and technical crew to the forest moon."_

Vader looked to Piett. "Do they have a code clearance?"

"It's an older code, but it checks out," Piett answered. "I was about to clear them." He knew there was no point in lying to Vader. Lies sang out to the Dark Lord. "Should I hold them?"

Vader paused as he looked outward.

* * *

Inside the shuttle, Luke stiffened. "Vader is on that ship."

"Lots of command ships around, kid," Han argued.

"He's right," Buffy said, her own face tense. "He's there. And so's Angelus."

Xander tapped his fingers harder on the console. "I don't think they're going for it, boss."

Han bit his lip. "Okay, Chewie, get ready, we're gonna need to…"

The communicator crackled quickly. _"Shuttle _Tydirium, _you are cleared for your landing."_

Han grinned, his worry instantly gone. "See, knew they'd buy it."

"The flip switch to your optimism astounds still, boss," Xander dryly noted.

Han flew the shuttle down as Luke and Buffy kept their eyes on the massive ship nearby. "The easy part is over," Luke noted. "From here on out, it gets really tricky."

"I liked you better when you were just a dumb farm boy sometimes," Han groused.

* * *

Vader came back to the main window, staring out with Angelus at the shuttle heading toward the planet. "You know they're on board, right?" the vampire asked.

"Of course," Vader replied. "It was to be expected."

"But Buffy there as well as your kid?" Angelus smirked. "That's a fun element."

Vader was silent for a moment. "I must inform the Emperor."

"You think he doesn't already know?"

"He might not. Even he is not infallible."

"Good thing too or he'd know we're planning to kill him."

Vader turned to look at him and Angelus smirked. "For a guy with a mask, you'd suck at poker. It's so obvious you want to bump him off and take over. It's the way of the Sith, right? Trust no one, angle for your own power, hey, I can fully relate." He shrugged. "As for me, hey, I'm just in this for the fun, I don't need to take command. I just wanna bump that asshole off for being such a dick."

Vader turned his head back to face the stars. "Interfere with any plans I may have…and I shall terminate your life in as painful a manner as possible."

Angelus just smirked as he looked to where the shuttle was flying. "First things first. I always enjoyed playing with my food."

* * *

"It figures," Buffy muttered as she looked around. "It takes a mission to decide the fate of the galaxy for me to finally get to a nice planet."

As a child, Buffy's parents had taken her on a trip to the Redwood forests in California, one of the better vacations of her life. Endor reminded her a lot of that, nothing but massive trees all around, most stretching hundreds of feet into the sky. The air was crisp and clear, quite lovely really, which made it more jarring to walk about it in commando gear. The shuttle had been parked in a small clearing, covered now with special nets of leaves to keep it from sight in case any patrols passed by although it was unlikely any fighters would be around with all the foliage. The Rebels were all clad in camouflage coats and tunics over their green uniforms, most wearing helmets with the exception of Han and Buffy. Chewbacca, of course, just walked as natural while pushing ahead Mara. She was still bound with manacles with the collar around her throat and a sour expression on her face.

"Come on, you're always complaining about not enough fresh air," Xander remarked, trying to smile and trying even harder not to look behind at Mara.

"Cut the chatter, you two," Han barked. "This is a stealth mission, remember."

"Yes, a redhead in handcuffs, two droids, a Wookie, two Jedi and a pack of commandos, you blend in perfectly," Mara sarcastically said.

"I knew I forgot to put a gag on her," Han groused. "Chewie, one more word out of her and knock her out and carry her." The Wookie growled in agreement, his glare letting Mara know he would be more than ready to do it too. Taking the hint, she decided to keep her mouth shut.

The group took that to include all of them, moving silently through the forest. They had a basic plan for the area but the intel reports had been sketchy due to the Imperial presence. The Bothans hadn't been able to get much in the way of directions but the brief flyover had given them a hint that it was a huge complex which made reaching it all the more tricky. Buffy kept an eye on Luke as they walked, seeing the glances he kept giving Leia. She knew he was bursting to tell her what he had learned but this was hardly the right time for it. Buffy glanced back to see how Mara was making a serious show of not looking at Xander. She frowned, unsure of how she felt about that. Between serving the Emperor and using her best friend, Buffy had more than enough reason to hate Mara. Yet, oddly, she didn't feel true evil coming off this woman, more actual…worry. It might be because of her captivity but Buffy suspected there was more than that. Again, it wasn't the time to go into all that and she was also not that eager to open such a can of worms.

Han held up a hand and the squad knelt behind him, all tense. Han moved to a small ridge overlooking a clearing, peering over it. Xander, Luke, Han and Buffy joined him to see what he was staring at. A pair of Stormtroopers were gathered together, evidentially setting up some sort of sensor system. Their armor was different, bulkier in the plating with the helmets more square for the macrobinoculous built into them. Nearby were two speeder bikes which were basically longer versions of Earth motorcycles used for short distance patrols, an engine with a long directional vane in front hovering over the ground.

"Crap," Buffy muttered. "Go around them?"

"It'll take too long," Han noted. "We'll take them out now."

"It only takes one to sound an alarm," Luke pointed out.

Han smiled at him. "Then we'll do it real quite-like."

"You wouldn't know quiet if you were in a silent movie," Buffy observed.

Han glanced at her. "I don't know if I've mentioned this before, girl, but these insults don't mean as much when I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Sometimes the comment itself is its own reward," Xander remarked.

. Leia narrowed her eyes at Han. "Seriously, Han. You have to do this quietly."

He smiled. "Hey…it's me." He moved off as Leia winced as if in pain.

Han was moving over when Buffy slipped in behind him, doing her best to remain quiet. Han headed over to where one trooper had his back to him. He was carefully moved in when his foot stepped on a twig with a snap that echoed through the forest. Han froze as did Buffy, who winced at the sound. The trooper turned to see them there, startled for a moment at their sudden appearance. Buffy got over it first, launching a boot into the man's chest to knock him back. The man rolled on the ground, striking out with his foot to sweep Han off his feet. Getting to his feet, he called out to his partner. "Go for help! Go!" Nodding, the other trooper raced onto his bike and started it up, sending him flying through the trees. Buffy grabbed at the first trooper, throwing him against a nearby tree. Chewbacca lumbered forward, lifting his bowcaster up and firing a trio of shots. The first missed but the next two managed to strike the rear engine of the bike, causing a burst of flame. The scout was thrown off, landing in a painful heap on the ground.

Luke and Leia had entered the clearing in time to see another pair of troopers nearby, just out of the sight of their original viewpoint. Both were on bikes that immediately took off. Leia didn't bother with words as she raced over to mount one of the original scout's bikes. "Wait, Leia!" Luke yelled as he moved over to get on the bike behind her. She pushed on the throttle to send them flying off. Buffy moved to mount the other bike. She'd ridden these before and recognized the control scheme, quickly hitting the throttle to ignite the engines and began racing off.

"Hey!" Han yelled only to feel the last trooper grabbing him from behind. He turned to punch him as Xander and the rest of the Rebel group made it into the clearing. Xander grabbed the scout from behind so Han can knock him out once and for all, looking over to where the bikes had taken off. "And yet another lovely Slayer excursion begins."

Mara closed her eyes and shook her head. "How the Empire hasn't wiped you people out, I'll never know."

* * *

As relaxing and beautiful as the forests of Endor were, they took on a bit of a different feeling when one was flying through them at two hundred miles an hour.

Having never been the best of drivers to begin with, handling a bike whizzing past hundred-foot trees at such speeds was a challenge even for a Slayer. Buffy did her best to keep up with it, however, wrestling with the controls while doing her best not to push them too far in either direction as they handled surprisingly smooth. She turned to the right as she spotted the two bikes up ahead and twisted on one handle to gear it forward. She envied the scouts for having the helmets to protect their eyes from the high speeds as she moved the speeder past a fallen tree. She was closing in on them in time to see Luke leap onto the scout's speeder, grabbing the man from behind. A brief struggle ensued before Luke threw him off the bike, the scout slamming into a tree with a crunch Buffy could hear all the way on her own bike. That left Luke and Leia with only one biker left.

Buffy was about to reduce her speed, figuring that the two would be slowing down, when she saw another pair of scouts on bikes flying from the underbrush to chase Luke and Leia. "Why is nothing in my life ever easy?" she muttered as she pushed on the throttle again. "I'm a good person!"

Without warning, Luke sent his speeder into reverse, flying right past the two scouts. Buffy yelped as she threw her bike to the left to avoid him. The two shared a startled look before Buffy flew by. She saw Leia up ahead and decided she needed help more than Luke did, speeding her bike up. She frowned as she turned a corner past a tree to see the scout trooper alone on his bike. Without warning, Leia swept in from above, firing from the small cannon below the bike. The trooper's bike caught a glancing blow but he managed to keep control. Buffy was increasing her speed when she saw the trooper grab a blaster from his hip and fire it at Leia's bike. It struck the main body at the side, sending her flying off. Leia managed to jump off, landing in some bushes as the bike smashed into a tree to explode.

The trooper was looking back to examine his work and caught sight of Buffy chasing him. He turned around, managing to twist his bike to the side to avoid the large tree in his path. Buffy swept her bike around it as well to chase at him, lining up her cannon to fire at him. The trooper managed to avoid the shots, moving his bike to the side. Buffy reached to her belt with one hand as the other jammed the accelerator as hard as she could. Her bike flew forward at the best speed it could as she did her best to hope she didn't run into anything without warning. The stormtrooper looked back, startled to see her coming at him. Before he could react, Buffy had ignited her lightsaber and swept it down, slashing the directional vane off the speeder. She cut her speed as the trooper's bike went out of control, spinning and smashing into a tree.

Buffy let out a breath before turning her bike around. She kept her speed careful as she headed back to the place she remembered Leia falling at. She saw the burning wreckage of that speeder and slowed her own down before letting it finally land by a log. She kept her lightsaber on as she moved through the brush. "Leia?" she asked, trying not to be too loud in case more trooper were around. "Leia, are you okay?"

She turned around a rock to see a body lying on the ground. She quickly ran forward, seeing Leia with her eyes closed. Buffy could feel her life force and knew she was alive but checked her body carefully for any injuries. She didn't see any bleeding or feel any bones injured but was unsure of moving her just yet. Buffy leaned over to check her face…

And that was when she felt something sharp strike her right at the small of her back.

She let out a yelp as she whirled around, her lightsaber raised and ready to ignite. She held back, however, when she saw what was in front of her. It looked for all the world like a teddy bear come to life, standing just under three feet tall, covered in brown fur. His only clothing was a jerkin that covered his torso that formed a hood over his head with small ears poking out of it. Its warm brown eyes were narrowed at Buffy as he held a spear in his small hands, the sharp point aimed right at her. Witnessing this odd little creature threatening her, Buffy did the only logical thing she could: She laughed.

The bear growled and pointed his spear closer, jabbering and Buffy actually bent over as she laughed more, unable to believe this was happening. The laugher stopped when the creature jabbed his spear at her leg. "Whoa, that's enough!" she said, trying to grab it but the bear yanked it back. Before Buffy could do more, she heard moaning and turned to see Leia waking up. "Are you okay?" she asked, leaning down.

Leia winced as she sat up. "I think so…" She rubbed at her head as she looked up, her eyes focusing on the bear. "Ah…you see that too, right?"

Buffy nodded. "Yeah, not any head trauma there. I think that's one of those bear things the reports mentioned…"

"Ewoks," Leia said as she let Buffy help her to her feet. "That's what they're called." She sighed as she rubbed at her back. "I think I'm okay, doesn't feel like anything's broken." She looked around. "Any idea where we are?"

"I was a bit too busy trying to help you guys to get directions," Buffy admitted. Leia sat on a nearby log, removing her helmet. The Ewok jumped at that, grabbing his spear again. "Take it easy!" Leia said. "It's just a hat. See?" She offered it to him. "You wear it." The Ewok sniffed at it cautiously and Buffy couldn't help but giggle again. "I'm sorry, he's so adorable!"

"Maybe," Leia said. "But that spear of his can still hurt." She reached into her pocket to remove a protein bar. "Don't suppose you have a comlink on you?"

Buffy shook her head. "Nope." She watched Leia chew on the bar and saw the Ewok looking at it curiously. Leia followed her gaze and paused before offering the bar. "Here. It's food, you can eat it." The Ewok still seemed suspicious and Buffy sighed. "Guess the Imperials have been giving these guys good reason not to trust outsiders."

"Well, then, here's a good opportunity to teach them we're not all the same." Leia broke off a piece of the bar and held it out in her hand. The Ewok leaned over to sniff at it before taking it in his small paw. He sniffed again, then licked it off. He glanced at each of the women and, with a small shrug, put the bar into his mouth and chewed on it. His expression softened as he went on, obviously enjoying it. "Looks like we made a new friend," Buffy noted. "Maybe he can help us get back to the others."

The Ewok dropped the bar suddenly, standing up and looking about. Buffy and Leia were both alert, realizing he was sensing something. "What is it?" Leia asked. Buffy frowned as she looked around carefully. She sensed more than heard what was coming, leaping to push Leia back just before a blaster bolt erupted at the log. Buffy had her lightsaber ignited as she looked around, trying to locate the source of the shot. She reached out with the Force only to be met by a rush of the living creatures around her. Despite her training, it took some focus to pinpoint the threat and she couldn't do that and keep an eye on Leia too. The princess had her blaster out, kneeling behind the log as she focused on the shot while the Ewok managed to scurry into a covering underneath it.

Buffy ducked as another blaster bolt struck right by her. "Can't get a bead on him," she hissed. "He's probably trying to draw us out."

Leia nodded as she moved over to the side. Buffy had her eyes and senses focused outward and thus didn't detect until too late the trooper stepping forward to press his blaster against Leia's head. "Freeze!" he barked. Leia obeyed, Buffy also stopping where she was, her lightsaber turning off. The scout who had been shooting at them stepped out of the foliage nearby. The scout called over his shoulder. "Get your ride. We're taking them back to base." The trooper nodded as he moved toward his nearby bike, the first soldier smart enough to keep his eyes focused on Leia. Buffy could see his finger tight on the trigger and knew that if she tired anything, he might fire before she could stop him.

Under the log, the Ewok (whose name was one Wicket W. Warrick) frowned. His people had been wary of these strange invaders tearing up the forests and bringing in those foul machines. Yet he sensed these two females were different than the others. They had treated him with kindness, not some sort of insect. Ewoks had learned long ago to trust their instincts and Wicket's was telling him these two deserved to be helped. So, without hesitation, he jabbed the end of his spear into the boot of the trooper holding the gun.

The trooper yelled out, less in pain and more surprise and the distraction was enough for Leia to grab him by the arm and throw him toward Buffy. The Slayer grabbed him by the shoulders as she fell back, tossing him against the log. She rolled over as she lashed out with her boot to slam into his head and knock him out cold. Seeing the other scout about to start his speeder, Leia grabbed the fallen trooper's pistol. Rising, she began firing as the speeder started to move. Her shots scored home, igniting the engine and sending the bike smashing into his partner's the pilot flying head over heels as they both exploded.

Buffy looked around. "There might be others nearby. They'll hear that noise fast. We better get moving."

Leia nodded and started to follow her but was stopped by a tugging on her hand. She looked down to see Wicket letting out a series of chirps as he pulled her hand, motioning for them to follow him. Leia frowned as she looked up toward Buffy. "Should we?"

Buffy shrugged. "He knows the forest better than we do. Maybe he can help us find some sort of shelter and get our bearings to contact the others."

Leia nodded as they began following their small guide. "I hope we're not getting ourselves into another stupid mess."

"In Sunnydale, a day without doing anything stupid was a day not worth getting out of bed for," Buffy observed as the odd trio made their way through the huge forest.

A clicking sound got their attention and they whirled around to see a pair of stormtroopers moving out of the bushes, their pistols raised. Buffy was igniting the lightsaber when a blur of motion flowed behind the men. A pair of hands moved over to slam their heads together, shaking them hard. One was turned around as a boot lashed into his gut, followed by a knee that smashed him back. The figure spun around to launch a flying kick into the helmet of the second trooper, sending him stumbling back. There was a flash of light on steel as what looked like a large axe flashed to slash the trooper along the gut. He gasped in agony before the end of the weapon struck him right in the face, sending him onto his back.

The figure turned around, twirling the weapon which now looked like some sort of scythe attached to a long handle, its handle ending in a sharp wooden stake. She was a shapely woman whose athletic body was clad in tight leather pants, a red top that showed off her mid-riff and a leather jacket. Her attractive face was framed by wavy brunette hair and a smirk on her features. "Good to see things never change with you finding trouble, B."

Buffy's eyes widened in shock as she took in the person before her.

"FAITH?"

**

* * *

**

Thanks for the patience in waiting for a new chapter, next one brings up more fun with the Ewoks as I begin adding a few twists to things as well.


	10. Tribal Meetings

**Return of the New Blood**

**By Michael Weyer**

**Tribal Meetings**

**Apologies for the long delay, a bit of a block but with the saga coming to Blu-Ray, feeling more inspired to finally close it out.**

* * *

After times on Tatooine, Hoth and other severe weather planets, Xander had to admit Endor wasn't too bad. The cool air carried along a light wind through the forest clearing where the Rebel squad was hanging back. Mara was sitting cross-legged on the ground, seemingly unperturbed by the guns aimed in her direction. Han seemed nonchalant leaning on a log but Xander knew him well enough to know that the man was ready for action at a second's notice. Artoo was moving his head around in slow circles when it stopped and he let out a whistle. "Artoo reports movement coming our way," Threepio translated.

Proving Xander right, Han instantly was pulling out his blaster and alert. Chewbacca joined him with his bowcaster as rustling could be heard nearby. Everyone aimed at the section of forest it was coming from before Luke popped out, sitting down on the grass to take some deep breaths. Han lowered his gun as he sauntered up, smiling. "Rough day, kid?"

Luke smiled back, hoping once more that Han's brand of dark humor in the face of adversity would never die out. "Wait till we get to the generator."

Han looked behind him. "Where's Buffy and Leia?"

Luke's smile vanished. "They're not here?"

"I thought they were with you," Han pressed.

Luke shook his head as he stood up. "We got separated. We have to look for them."

Han nodded. "Xander, Chewie, with me." He turned to one of the soldiers. "Keep your heads low, find cover, rendezvous at the shield generator at 0800." The man nodded as Han's eyes fell on Mara. He bit his lip before nodding toward her. "She's coming with us."

"Excuse me?" she blurted, not happy about that.

"I'm more comfortable keeping an eye on you than leaving you here," Han said. "And there's no choice for you, Red, you're going."

A look at Chewbacca's face convinced Mara to keep her mouth shut as she got up and reluctantly followed the group through the underbrush and into the forest.

It was a long hike, the sun starting to move toward setting as they walked through the forest paths. Han was in the lead, Luke behind with Artoo scanning the area. Xander brought up the rear, making sure Mara stayed ahead. Once again, the young man wanted to say something, anything but once again held his tongue, really not sure of what to say to someone who had broken his heart like this. His musings were cut off by Artoo's whistling. "He says he's found something by that tree," Threepio said, pointing to a burned trunk nearby.

Han and Luke quickly raced to the area, looking down at the remains of a speeder bike along with the armored bits of what had been its pilot. Nearby was a familiar-looking helmet which Luke held up. "Buffy's," he whispered.

Han bit his lip. "They'd better be all right."

Xander glanced at Mara and was surprised to see what looked like actual concern on her face. She quickly covered but he knew it had been there. Chewbacca lifted up his head, his nose twitching. He let out a bark as he began running off. "Chewie, what is it?" Han asked as he followed. "What do you smell?"

The Wookie ignored him, moving into the brush. The others came up as he found himself staring at the carcass of some animal placed atop a large tree branch. "What?" Han asked, not getting it. "Chewie, it's just a dead animal."

Luke looked down at the ground, noting how the leaves seemed so much heavier in this area. His eyes widened as he realized what this was, moving fast. "Chewie, wait, don't-"

It was too late as Chewbacca grabbed the meat, pulling at it and yanking the stick to the side. A series of whipping sounds echoed as various ropes began to strain and yank. With a whipping sound, a thick net sprang up from the leaves under their feet, wrapping around the group and pulling them into the air in a loud smashing of bodies and yells.

"Great…just….great, Chewie!" Han finally gasped out. "Always thinking with your stomach!"

"Unbelievable," Mara muttered. "Oldest trap in the galaxy and you idiots wander right into it!"

"I notice you're in it with us, lady!" Han snapped.

"Okay, calm down," Luke said, one arm sticking out of the net. "Han, can you reach my lightsaber?"

"Sure…one sec…" Han grunted as he reached out, trying to pull the net closer to get at Luke. Xander yelped as he was pressed against Threepio, feeling his cheek crushed on the droid's back. "Will you move?"

"This is hardly ideal for me, either!" the droid fired back. There was simply no protocol for a situation like this.

Amid the arguing, Artoo opened a panel in his body and extended a small buzzsaw that began cutting through the ropes. He moved it side to side, slicing through the strands. Hearing it, Threepio looked down to see what his counterpart was doing. "Artoo, I don't really think that's a good idea. It's a very long drop-"

He was too late as the last strand cut and the net opened to deposit everyone on the ground in a large and painful heap. The sound of painful moans echoed as they all recovered. Mara, in particular, was hard hit as Chewbacca had landed right on top of her. Whether planned or not, Xander couldn't help but get a bit of pleasure out of the sight, followed by an odd shot of pain.

He was distracted by movement and stared in disbelief as a couple dozen small bear-like creatures rose from the brush, all wearing hoods and jerkins with various spears and bows with arrows aimed at the group. "Holy shit, we're surrounded by the Care Bears."

Luke and Han were also taken aback at the appearance of the Ewoks, Han chuckling until one stuck a spear into his face. "Hey, watch it!" he snapped, reaching for his blaster.

"Han, wait," Luke said, putting a hand to stop him. "Take it easy." He slowly pulled his lightsaber up and handed it over to one Ewok, who studied it in curiosity. "Go on, give them your weapons. Chewie, hand your bowcaster over."

The Wookie growled but agreed as Han reluctantly passed his blaster over. "Hope you know what we're doing," Xander remarked as he gave up his gun. "Of course, that would be breaking our usual routine."

Mara glared at one the Ewoks as she called out. "Hey, talkdroid, any chance we can get a translation for these things?"

"Oooooh, my head," Threepio moaned as he sat up.

"Wow, I'm so reminded of Giles now," Xander couldn't help remarking.

At the sight of the golden form, the Ewoks let out a collective gasp before dropping to their knees. They began making bowing moves and starting what sounded like a chant, arms reaching toward Threepio.

"Okay, not so much now," Xander continued. "Well, unless he's attending some weirdo tea function."

Threepio appeared as startled as everyone else by this display. He began uttering a series of chirping sounds that the Ewoks quickly answered, conversing for a few moments. "Do you understand them?" Luke asked.

"So help me, if you start with that fluent in six million languages thing…" Mara threatened and for once Han was agreeing with her. "What are you telling them?"

"Hello, I think," Threepio said. "It's a rather primitive dialect but easily understandable. These Ewoks seem to believe I'm some sort of…god."

Artoo and Chewbacca found that extremely funny. The droid let out a series of whistles and Chewbacca roared with laughter, even wiping a tear from his eye. Han rolled his eyes before forcing a smile. "Well, why don't you use your divine influence and get us out of this?" he hissed.

"I'm sorry, General Solo but that wouldn't be proper."

"Proper?" Han repeated, his eyes wide. He'd always known this pompous droid would push him too far one day and this just might be it.

"It's against my programming to impersonate a deity," Threepio responded as if it was obvious.

Han moved forward. "No problem, I'll just open you up and do a little field modification…"

The Ewoks moved in with spears and bows aimed, not happy about their god being talked to in such a way. Getting the message, Han raised his hands. "Hey, it's okay, he's a friend of mine."

Somehow, Xander suspected that explanation wasn't going to go over well with their new captors.

* * *

"I can't believe this," Xander muttered. "Four years out of Sunnydale and this is still happening to me!"

He was in the same situation as the rest of the Rebels, hanging from a large pole with his hands and feet bound tightly to the wood. In what had to be a record, the Ewoks had created a chair for Threepio to carry the droid on their shoulders. _Eat your heart out, Bob Villa. _

The Ewoks were carrying them to a larger set of trees, passing several scouting parties and sentries. They soon caught sight of the massive village, huts filling the trees with elevators and wooden bridges connecting them. Dusk had fallen with torches lit around as the group was led up via an elevator and then a set of vines to the uppermost level of the village. As they were carried about, Ewoks stared in wonder, some with suspicion, mothers grabbing their children to race them to safety. Some Ewoks picked up spears to follow the procession up a long winding staircase until they finally came to the largest platform.

The center was a pit with various small spots set up for seating and what appeared to be some sort of pit in the middle. "This doesn't look good," Han muttered as they were set down upon waiting holders to keep them suspended. Artoo, tightly wrapped in his own bearer, was stood up not happy about the way the Ewoks were prodding him with spears. Threepio was placed at the height of the circle, a place of honor.

The muttering of the creatures died down as two figures exited the large hut before them. One had gray striped fur with a horned half-skull of some animal draped over his head, feathers sticking out from it. A stone hatchet was held in his hands as he walked with a bit of a swagger. The other was older, his fur a dark tan, wearing his own half-skull of a bird creature, a pouch wrapped around his side and held a staff topped by what looked like a spinal column draped at the top. The other Ewoks moved back in deference as these newcomers approached.

The first moved to study the prisoners, pressing his axe at Artoo, the droid letting a sharp whistle out in response. The leader of the Ewok group moved up to argue with the other Ewok, waving a hand at the prisoners, indicating he was sympathetic toward them. The figure then moved to study Chewbacca, the Wookie growling at his approach. "Easy, Chewie," Han warned. "He must be the head honcho."

"Actually, Captain Solo," Threepio clarified. "From what I gather, Logray, here, is the medicine man." He nodded toward the other Ewok with the staff. "That is Chief Chirpa, the leader of this tribe."

"Good, we know who to exchange Christmas cards with," Xander remarked.

Logray continued to study them, stroking their clothing and moving back to Artoo. He whacked the axe onto the droid's head, causing him to squeal out. A panel opened to spark an electrode at the Ewok, causing him to jump back. He turned to Chirpa, the two exchanging some words with various gestures at the captives.

"I know I'm not the popular sort here," Mara called out. "But maybe the droid should plead our case?"

"For once, Jade's got the right idea," Han agreed. "Get to talking, Goldenrod."

Threepio began conversing with the Ewok leaders as others began to pile wooden branches into the pit. "Oh, I have a very bad feeling about this," Xander moaned.

"Oh, dear," Threepio announced. "I'm rather embarrassed to say it, General Solo but I'm afraid you are to be the main course in a banquet in my honor." He paused to listen. "Oh, and Artoo is to be broken down into spare parts for scrap." The other droid let out a sharp whistle. "Well, don't yell at me, that's how they put it." Artoo whistled again and Threepio brought himself up. "That's no way to talk to someone in my position."

"Can't you talk them out of this?" Xander demanded. "You're their god, remember?"

"That wouldn't be quite proper, Master Xander. The Chief would be greatly offended if I refused such an honor."

"Offend! Offend!"

Han craned his head toward Luke. "Time to finally get undiplomatic?"

"Always time for that."

"Only if you're captured by vegetarians."

Han's musings of deicide were interrupted as three more figures came out of the hut. All were female and all instantly familiar to one member of the captives. "Hey, Buff, great to-" Xander stopped and stared at the woman behind her. "Faith? What…how the hell did you get here?"

"Nice to see you too, Xan-Man," Faith smiled as she moved to them. She was clad in her usual leather pants and jacket while Buffy and Leia were wearing nice brown dresses, Leia's hair let down long around her. Faith looked at Mara and raised an eyebrow. "You must be Jade. B was telling me about you." She let out a punch that smashed Mara's head back with a loud yell. "That's for the Xan-Man."

"Yeah, it's you, all right," Xander had to chuckle.

Leia moved to Threepio. "Threepio, tell them this is a mistake, these are my friends."

"And seriously, cook them?" Buffy added. "Come on, these guys are just too cute to be cannibals."

"Technically, to them, we would be just another animal," Luke couldn't help pointing out.

"Not helping."

"Leia, stay back," Han warned. "I don't want you ending up on the buffet table too."

Threepio talked to Chirpa, who shook his head. "I apologize but it appears he is most insistent on this."

"Threepio," Luke said. "Tell them that if they don't do what you say, you'll get angry and use your magic."

Buffy saw his look and smiled. "Riiiight, got it."

"Magic?" Threepio did his best to frown. "But, Master Luke…"

"Just tell them."

Threepio did so and the chittering from the Ewoks answered his attempts. "I'm sorry, Master Luke, but as I said…"

With a wave of double concentration, the wooden throne levitated off the ground. Everyone but Buffy and Luke were taken aback as it began to spin about, Threepio letting out howls of surprise and fear. The Ewoks, however, mistook it for roars of godlike indignation as the throne floated about over their heads. They yelped and ducked around before Buffy and Luke finally allowed the throne to settle down. Chirpa and Logray exchanged a look, then the chief barked to the guards surrounding the prisoners. In no time flat, the bonds were cut and they were freed.

"Nice job, Threepio," Buffy smiled.

The droid was slumped in the throne, doing an excellent impression of catching breath. "I…didn't know I had it in me."

Luke smiled at Buffy as he rose up. "Well, that's one dinner I'm glad skipping out on."

She smiled back. "What next?"

Luke nodded to Threepio. "They'll listen to him. Maybe we can get them on our side."

Threepio recovered a bit at that. "Master Luke, I'm afraid I'm not programmed for propaganda or political agitation."

"There go your hopes for being in news broadcasting," Xander joked.

Luke smiled. "Just do what you do best, Threepio. Tell a story."

* * *

Night had fallen as Threepio detailed the story of the battle between the Empire and the Rebellion, his voice box mimicking sounds from fighters to Darth Vader's breathing. He was keeping the Ewoks bundled in the main communal hut enthralled with his story, everyone listening in. Well, almost everyone.

"Okay," Xander said as he huddled in the corner with the two Slayers. "Time to talk, Faith. How did you get here?"

The brunette lounged back, smiling. "Not as easy as it may sound. G's been calling in favors from some of his contacts in the supernatural world. Course, we got delayed by random stuff like this military group hunting demons and then that goddess thing and I was dead for a while…"

"The usual," Buffy remarked.

"Anyway, G finally got his hands on some magical gem that can track a Slayer anywhere. Andrew and Jonathan, they're the tech guys with us, annoying but smart, managed to figure a way to hook it up with some spells by Rat-girl and Tara and opened up a portal to drop me here."

"Assuming you got a return ticket?"

"If I need it." Faith held up a small amulet with odd carvings on it. "This can send a message back if need be, have to be careful using it so I don't waste the power."

Buffy was silent. "And…you want us to come home?"

Faith seemed surprised. "You don't?"

Buffy and Xander exchanged a look. "It's just…we're invested here now," Xander said. "We're trying to save the galaxy here, that's a bit bigger than anything on Earth."

"Hey, Earth is still not bad. Sure, usual wars, pollution and all but new movies, DVD's, Xbox, IPod things and hey, Red Sox won the World Series!"

"You're kidding me," Xander said, eyes wide in shock.

Buffy sighed. "It's more than that, Faith."

Faith looked over to where Luke was sitting. "Yeah, I can tell," she smiled. It faded as she looked to Buffy. "But more than that. Angel got a meeting with one of his contacts, found this parchment with your picture on it."

Buffy rolled her eyes. "Oh, God, how far do I have to go to escape prophecies?"

"Not far enough," Faith said, reaching into her pocket to pull out a piece of paper. "Let's see…Okay, says that a warrior caught between light and dark will engage her fated foe and in victory…the darkness shall claim her."

Buffy was quiet taking that in. "Well…at least it's not hopelessly vague as usual."

Xander was a bit more concerned. "Sounds like one of those Dark Side things you kept talking about after seeing Yoda."

Faith nodded. "I caught the robot's talk there. So this is where Angelus wound up? Shoulda known he'd be causing trouble still."

Buffy frowned. "How's…Angel?"

"Still fighting the good fight in L.A.," Faith answered. "He's got his own team now."

"Someone else?" Buffy asked.

Faith paused and nodded. Buffy smiled softly. "Good for him." She rose up. "Be right back, checking in how things are going." She moved to where Luke, Leia and Han sat, listening to Threepio's story.

Faith watched her go. "She's changed."

"We all have," Xander noted. He looked over at Mara. "Well, I'm still falling for the wrong girl."

Faith followed his gaze, her expression sober. "Sorry."

"Ah, just me being an idiot," Xander said. "As proven by the fact I think I still love her."

"Really?" Faith paused before rising. "Be right back." Before Xander could react, she stood up and marched toward Mara, grabbing her by the ponytail. "Sorry, girl talk," Faith said to a startled Luke before dragging Mara out of the hut. Threepio seemed a bit put out before continuing his story.

Outside, Mara gasped as Faith shoved her against one of the barriers at the edge of the platform. "Who the hell do you think…" she started but a finger at her face silenced her.

"Listen and listen close, bitch," Faith snapped. "B gave me the scoop on you, the spy working for the Empire and all that. I don't care much for that crap. But messing with Xander is something else. That guy…" She sighed. "He tried to help me when the rest of them didn't. I didn't let him and it led to some really bad stuff for me. Maybe if I'd just…opened up more…things might have been different."

Mara snorted. "Don't talk to me like you know me, girl."

"Know you?" Faith let out a sardonic laugh. "Lady, I _was_ you. Stuck in my own darkness, thinking I couldn't survive without some guy, hooking up with someone who seemed to care about me but was just using me…I've been through it all and then some." She stepped forward. "And that's why I know you're not the tough bad-ass you make yourself out to be. If you were, you'd have found some way to get that collar off and left a while ago. You're sticking with them because you want to."

Mara raised an eyebrow. "Oh, yes, hanging with these creatures, that's gone over well."

Faith shook her head. "Don't hide it. Like I said, we're a lot alike, I can see it in you." She leaned forward. "Take it or don't but here's my advice. If you have a chance to get out of the darkness…especially with a guy who's filled with nothing but light…take it. Don't question, take it. Otherwise…" She sighed. "Otherwise, it'll just get worse before it gets better. Believe that."

She pushed Mara back as she moved toward the hut. "One way or another, your Emperor is going down," she called over her shoulder. "So you've got a choice, Jade. Be out in the cold alone…or take a chance on the good guys' team." She smiled. "You'd be surprised how well it works out."

She walked back inside, leaving Jade alone in the night with her words.

Faith was sitting back down as a discussion went on between the Ewoks. Chirpa stood up, motioning for silence before speaking, Threepio translating his words. "Chief Chirpa says it is a moving tale but does not see what this has to do with us."

"Tell him this, Goldenrod," Han spoke up. "I know it's hard to use words like rebellion and all that as more than an abstract. Tell him it's not just in their best interests…even though it is because the Empire's tapping into the energy of this planet to power the shield and that's going to be effecting them come winter. That's why I always did stuff, because it was for me. But not anymore. I do it for my friends now because what else is there? Money? Power? Jabba had all that and look where it got him. Do it because of others. For friends."

He sat down, seeming embarrassed by his own speech as Chewbacca gave him a pat on the shoulder in support. Luke spoke up next. "Look up there." He pointed at the hole in the ceiling that showed the clear night sky. "Every one of those stars has their own life forms surrounding it. Billions upon billions of lives, all connected to the Force. They're a part of it, all of this, it's for the good of all that they can help."

"There's a lot of lights up there," Buffy broke in. "And the Empire wants to shut every one of them off."

Leia's response was far shorter. "Do it for the trees."

The Ewoks once more conferred among themselves, Chirpa talking to an eager Wicket before rising up. Threepio translated for him. "Honorable elders, we have received a great gift. This golden god…" He couldn't help pausing to revel in that. "This golden god, whose return has been prophesied since the First Tree, tells us now he will not be our Master, that we are free to choose, that we _must_ choose, as all living beings, our own destiny. He has finally come and he shall go and we may no longer be slaves to his guidance.

"Yet how must we comport ourselves? Is an Ewok's love for the woods less when he leaves it? No, it is more because he can leave it but he stays. His friends tell us of a Force, a great living spirit we are all part of. We know this spirit, though we call it not the Force. They tell us this Force is in great jeopardy. Some among us may ask why should we care? Why should this be our battle? When the fire threatens the forest, do we ask why we should aid others? No, we simply do so, because it is right. It is a brave thing to confront a fire. Many will die, that the forest will live. But we are brave.

"Honorable Elders, we must aid this noble party not only for the trees but for the leaves upon them. These Rebels are like the Ewoks, who are like the leaves, battered by the wind, eaten by locusts. Yet do we throw ourselves on smoldering fires that another may know the warmth of light, we swirl in the wind that assails us, we change color as the season asks us. So must we help these brothers, these rebels…for so has come a season of change upon us."

He sat back as the Ewoks once more chattered among themselves. They seemed to come to a conclusion as a loud collective cry went up and Wicket threw his arms around Leia. "What is this?" Han demanded.

"It appears we have been made honorary members of the tribe," Threepio stated.

"Great, just what I hoped for," Han muttered as he was hugged by a pair of Ewoks. Drums began playing as the creatures broke into an impromptu celebration. Luke rose from his own chair and moved out of the hut. Buffy saw Leia following and sighed, knowing what was going to happen and Luke had to do it alone. She rose herself, passing by Han ordering Threepio to start getting some help from the Ewoks to walk out the other side of the hut.

She breathed in the night air as she felt a form behind her. "Don't even try to stop me, Xander."

"I won't." He came beside her, joining her in staring out. "I know you have to face him." He was quiet for a long moment. "You know that I lied back then, right? About Willow doing the spell?"

"We figured it out," Buffy said. "I was mad but…" She shrugged. "You were right."

"No, I wasn't," he said. "I didn't do it because you'd be distracted or any of that. I did it because…well, I was jealous of him, ok?"

She smiled. "Xander, we were younger, both did a lot of stupid things."

"Amen to that." He looked at her, sobering. "This time…you know it's not him. No holding back, that's what I thought. But now…" He bit his lip. "I don't know or understand much about this Force, Buffy but I know it's dangerous to slip. Faith did and I know it hurt you. I just…" He sighed. "If killing him means losing you, I don't think it's worth it."

Buffy gave him a sad smile. "I've been ready to die since I was Called, Xander. It's what Slayers do." She moved to hug him. "But not just yet."

He hugged back tight before breaking off. "Go get him. And this time, I know Will wants you to kick his ass." He stared at her with emotion. "Just don't lose yourself in the process."

She nodded as she wiped at her eyes, bringing her emotions in check. "Good luck tomorrow." She began to walk off, moving down the walkways until she saw Luke pacing toward the end of the village. "How'd it go?" she asked.

Luke gave a soft smile. "As well as could be expected." He paused. "She seems to remember our mother. Even though she died right after we were born…She said she seemed…sad."

"I can imagine," Buffy remarked. She took a deep breath. "Ready?"

He nodded as they began to walk out of the village and into the forest.

* * *

The landing pad stood out among the trees of Endor, a large construct of steel with various Imperial troops about. A shuttle was landing as a large four-legged Walker moved up to the installation, its central body set to open onto a catwalk. In the background could be seen the main shield generator, a massive dish aimed at the Death Star visible in the night sky. The tube-like columns supporting the platform were elevator shafts, one leading from the Walker gangplank, another down from the landing platform.

Darth Vader exited one elevator, moving down the catwalk with ease. The other elevator opened up to show Luke and Buffy standing side by side, both manacled and surrounded by stormtroopers. An officer stepped forward, bowing his head. "Lord Vader, these are the Rebels who surrendered to us. They deny it but I believe there are more of them present and request permission to conduct a further search of the area." He lifted up a pair of weapons. "They were armed only with these."

Vader held the two lightsabers in his hands before nodding. "Good work, Commander. Leave us. Conduct your search and bring their companions to me." The officer bowed as he and the stormtroopers walked back into the elevator. The doors hissed shut and the three were left alone.

Vader hooked Buffy's lightsaber to his belt but held Luke's in his hands. He gazed at them both carefully, Luke staring right back. Never comfortable with long silences, Buffy spoke up. "So…where's dark and brooding?"

"Darth Scourge awaits us on the Death Star with the Emperor," Vader answered as he began to walk, motioning for them to join him. "I preferred to handle this myself."

Buffy couldn't help smirking. "Already drove you nuts, huh? He gets that way."

Vader focused on Luke. "The Emperor has been expecting you."

"I know…Father."

Vader glanced at him before looking away. "So, you have finally accepted the truth."

"I've accepted you were once Anakin Skywalker, my father."

"That name no longer has any meaning for me."

Luke stopped to face him. "It is the name of your true self, Father. You've only forgotten it." He stepped forward. "I know there is good in you. The Emperor hasn't driven it from you fully." He turned his back to Vader, moving to the handrail. "That is why you couldn't destroy me on Cloud City. That's why you won't bring me to your Emperor now."

Vader looked down at the lightsaber in his hands, turning it over, pondering those words. "I see you have constructed a new lightsaber." He ignited the blade, holding it up and Buffy automatically tensed. Vader studied the blade, Luke not flinching at the heat near his back. "I no longer use yours."

Vader nodded as he turned it off. "Your skills are nearly complete. You are powerful, as the Emperor has foreseen."

Luke turned back, his face tense. "Come with me."

Vader shook his head. "Obi-Wan once thought as you did." He glanced toward Buffy. "She does not. I can see in her heart. She knows the truth, that I am lost."

Buffy paused before speaking. "I thought I did," she quietly said. "But I just ran into a…friend who reminded me that…sometimes…people can change. Even if they fall far, they can still rise and become better." She set her jaw. "So maybe…maybe it's not too late for you. You were the Hero Without Fear, right?"

"That man died in the fires of Mustafar." Vader snapped. When he spoke, actual regret sounded in his voice. "You don't understand the power of the Dark Side. I must obey my master."

"I will not turn," Luke proclaimed. "Neither of us will. And you'll be forced to kill us."

"If that is your destiny," Vader flatly said.

Luke moved closer, the raw emotions coming to his face. "Search your feelings, Father. You can't do this. I feel the conflict within you. Let go of your hate."

"If only I could," Vader whispered before he could stop himself. There was a long pause before he waved his hand to the other elevator. It opened and a squad of stormtroopers exited, ready for any danger from the two Jedi. Before they came into earshot, Vader spoke. "It is too late for me, my son. The Emperor will show you the true nature of the Force. He is your master now."

The troopers came to surround them, Luke's gaze never leaving Vader's as he sobered. "Then my father is truly dead." He and Buffy let themselves be led away, the blonde leaning in. "You had to try," she whispered.

"And I still will," Luke told her.

Behind them, Vader stared at the forest, gripping the lightsaber in his hand. If one could look under the black mask, they would have seen a face marked with pain and regret as he twisted the lightsaber in his hand. _Perhaps if they kill the Emperor. Perhaps then…I can finally be free._

Then he turned and marched into the waiting shadows of the landing bay.

* * *

**I promise not as long a delay until the next chapter which gets to the epic battle. Thanks for hanging in there. **


	11. Eclipse of the Empire

**Return of the New Blood**

**By Michael Weyer**

** Eclipse of the Empire**

** You'd think the fact I'm going off an established story would help the writing go faster. However, was hit with a block on this chapter for far too long a while, hope to push it aside in order to finally get the damn thing done.**

* * *

The morning dew was light as the Rebel crew made their way to a large ridge overlooking the shield generator installation. It was quite imposing with the massive Walker nearby the three-story landing pad and the huge dish pointed upward. The clearing leading to it was open, making it nearly impossible for anyone to sneak into it, even without catching the attention of the stormtroopers marching about.

"Not so bad," Han noted as he lowered his macrobinoculours. Chewbacca growled at his friend. "Come on, Chewie, we've gotten into more heavily guarded installation than this." At the Wookie's questioning grunt, Han frowned in thought. "Well, the spice vaults of Gargon, for one." Chewbacca looked unsure as he growled. "Yes, I'm sure!" Han stroked his chin. "Now, if I can just remember how we did it…"

Wicket was pulling on Leia's arm as he chattered in his own language. "What's he saying?" Leia asked Threepio.

"He says there's another way," the droid answered. "A rear entrance to the installation that is not as heavily guarded."

Han's eyes widened along with his grin. "A back door! That's how we did it!"

"Back doors," Faith smirked. "My specialty."

"Oh, curse my dirty mind right now," Xander sighed as the group moved to follow the Ewok. It took a half hour to circle the large woods before they reached their new destination. It was a small black bunker entrance with metallic doors with a small clearing ahead of it. Four troopers in scout armor stood with a quartet of speeder bikes nearby.

"Not bad," Han noted from their hiding place. "Only four."

Mara frowned. "This isn't right."

"Oh, really?" Han glared at her.

Mara waved her hand at the bunker. "Only four troopers for an entrance? Back way or not, there should be a lot more. Something about this stinks."

"Stand downwind then," Han snapped.

"It only takes one of them to sound an alarm," Leia pointed out.

"Then we'll do it quiet."

Leia rolled her eyes upward just as Wicket chirped up. "Oh, dear," Threepio said. "General Solo, I'm afraid one of our little friends has…gone and done something rash."

Leia and Han frowned before looking back to the bunker entrance. Their eyes widened as they saw a brown-furred Ewok named Paploo making his way to the speeder bikes parked nearby. He mounted one, working the basic controls to fire up the engine. The stormtroopers spun around to see him, three immediately racing to him. They were too late as Paploo set the bike racing off, screeching as it left. The three scouts got onto their bikes and took off after him.

"Not bad for a little furball," Han noted. "There's only the one left." He turned to the others. "Okay…Faith? You stay here and keep an eye on Jade and the droids. The rest of you, with me." He made his way through the underbrush, the rest of the Rebels following, Xander sparing a brief glance at Mara before going with them.

Mara saw Faith giving her a sly smile. "So…what shall we talk about?"

* * *

She could feel him before the elevator stopped. It wasn't through the Force, either. Somehow, even as changed as they both were, she knew what he was like, that aura of danger, savagery and wicked glee, it called out to her. As the doors to the lift opened and Vader led Buffy and Luke into the Death Star throne room, her eyes focused on the dark-garbed figure waiting for them. He smirked that damnable sexy evil smirk at her. "Buffy."

"Asshole," she returned as she calmly walked forward. Like Luke, her hands were manacled in front of her but she kept herself calm as she entered the room. It was quite large, dark black all over with a series of gangplanks and platforms overhead. A few walkways passed over the large chasms leading down to the reactor chambers hundreds of feet below. A series of steps led to the platform where a large and ornate chair was turned toward a large window that afforded a view of the Endor moon and the space around it.

As the group walked forward, the chair slowly turned around to reveal Emperor Palpatine. _Figures, the guy's as much a drama queen as the Master, _Buffy thought to herself. Despite all the warnings, she was still jarred to see the man up close. It wasn't just his appearance, the savage wrinkles and sunken yellow eyes. It was his aura, the sheer waves of pure evil he gave out, it was overwhelming in the Force. She had to steel herself as the man stared, taking them both in. "Welcome, young Skywalker. You will not need those." He waved his hands and the manacles around the Jedi's wrists unlocked and fell away. Buffy rubbed her wrists, glancing at Luke, both knowing the Emperor was trying to intimidate him with his casual use of the Force.

"Guards," Palpatine spoke up. "Leave us." With a bow, the two red-garbed figures walked around to the rear elevator. Palpatine waited for them to be gone before speaking. "This has been a long time coming, young ones. I look forward to completing your training. Soon you, like Vader, shall call me Master."

"Yeah, really not seeing that," Buffy stated.

Palpatine smiled. "Such fire. Such passion. Much like Mara Jade but even greater with your power. You shall be a fine Sith, young Summers. But Skywalker…oh, to have you join us shall be a crown jewel."

"Kind of bending the whole 'Rule of Two' thing, aren't you?" Buffy noted.

"That rule was created to allow the Sith to survive in a dark time," Palpatine brushed off. "Now…it is time for us to grow. The Rule of Two shall become the Rule of One. The Sith itself. And that force shall ensure the safety of this galaxy forever."

"Yeah, yeah, that old song," Buffy scoffed.

Palpatine rose from his seat, slowly walking toward them. "You believe my path to control was merely revenge upon the Jedi, girl? No. What I have done is to aid the entire galaxy."

"Oh, I have to hear this."

"There are forces beyond this realm. Forces of greater power than you could imagine. The Republic, weak, divided, corrupt and the Jedi, pathetic and unwilling to embrace the true power of the Force…they would never be able to stand against the darkness to come. I had to wipe away the old, create a new order to keep this galaxy together."

"And with you on top of course," Buffy noted.

Vader extended a hand to place the pair of lightsabers into Palpatine's. "Ah, yes, the weapons of a Jedi. Your skills are almost complete. Yoda taught you well." He smiled. "He could hide his presence for years but his death was too great to not be felt in the Force. With him gone, my power is the greatest of any Force-user alive. And soon, you will learn to respect that."

"You're mistaken," Luke finally spoke up. "We won't turn."

"Oh, no, my foolish young friend," the Emperor sniffed. "You shall discover it is you who are wrong. About a great many things." He turned to walk back to the throne.

"Soon, we'll be dead," Luke announced. "And you with us."

"Perhaps you refer to the imminent attack by your Rebel fleet."

The remark was made so offhand and casual that it took a moment to sink in. Buffy's eyes widened but Luke took it much better, keeping himself steeled. "Your overconfidence is your weakness."

"Your faith in your friends is yours," the Emperor returned as he sat back onto his throne. "All that has happened here has been of my design. Do you not know the proper components of a Jedi trap?" He motioned to Vader. "Your father could tell you. He designed a few in his time."

Normally, Angelus was never a fan of the whole "brag your plan in detail" thing but he had to admit getting a kick out of the expressions on Luke and Buffy's faces as Palpatine began to explain. "The first component is irresistible bait. In this case, both myself and our greatest weapon, seemingly unprepared and out in the open. The second is a location, remote but not too much so in order to be believable. I could have built this at Despayre as I did the first but Endor was more suitable for what I had planned. The final part is allowing just the right amount of information to sneak out, plans that were true to the most part but held back just a bit more." He arched an eyebrow. "You, my children, are standing in the middle of the perfect Jedi trap."

"Oh, shit," Buffy whispered as Angelus chuckled.

"Your pitiful band on the planet are done for. An entire legion of my troops are waiting to stop them and my fleet is placed behind the moon, out of sight but ready to move in." He leaned forward, his voice taking on a mocking sympathy. "Oh, I am afraid the deflector shield will be quite operational by the time your fleet arrives." He broke off into a sharp cackle as he sat back.

Buffy was just staring, feeling the shock of the reality of the situation, her thoughts of her best friends walking right into enemy hands flowing over her. She barely registered Angelus' presence until he was right behind her, leaning in to whisper in her ear. "Game. Set. Match."

* * *

Willow adjusted her seat once more, staring out the window of the cockpit of the _Millennium Falcon _at the blue and white tunnel of hyperspace. Lando was sitting before her, adjusting the controls. Next to him sat his co-pilot, Nien Numb, a Sullustan whose aquatic-like face was calm as he sat in his own red uniform. It was odd seeing anyone but Han and Chewbacca flying the ship but Willow was ready for this. She had wanted to be in the front, feeling it not right for Buffy and Xander to be in the field of fire while she sat on a main cruiser. Besides, one never knew when a witch could be in handy.

"Okay," Lando called out. "Here we go." He pulled back the throttle as the hyperspace tunnels vanished. In blasts of air that actually carried into the vacuum of space, the entire Rebel fleet fell back into real space, cruisers moving into position as the fighters of all types flew to follow the _Falcon. _

"All wings, report in," Lando announced into the comlink.

_"Red Group, standing by," _announced Wedge Antilles, the veteran pilot ready for another Death Star run. One by one, the other wings reported in with a final voice grousing out. _"Slave I reporting in."_

_ "Lock S-Foils into attack position," _Wedge called out and the wings of the X-Wings extended to their namesake shape while the B-Wings extended their own out too. Before them, the Death Star waited, the half-completed shell still intimidating in the open space.

_"May the Force be with us," _Admiral Ackbar called out from his ship.

Lando was about to order the initial run when the communicator crackled. _"Calrissian," _Boba Fett's voice came out. _"Break it off, that shield's still up!"_

Lando frowned. "We're not getting a reading."

_"You're not, I am. My scanners are better than yours, they can cut through the jamming."_

Nien Numb uttered something in his own language and Lando frowned. "They're jamming us? That doesn't make sense, how can they be jamming us when…"

The penny dropped.

"When they don't know…we're coming," Willow breathed as she stared at the Death Star which suddenly looked like a spider's web.

"Break off the attack!" Lando yelled into the comlink. "The shield is still up!"

_"I get no reading, are you sure?" _Wedge asked.

"Pull up!" Lando yelled. "All craft, pull up!" He yanked back on the controls as the _Falcon_ turned aside, slews of fighters following, breaking in various directions. Two X-Wings and a Y-Wing were unable to turn in time, smashing into the invisible barrier, exploding across empty space.

An old military axiom is that "no plan survives contact with the enemy." Admiral Ackbar knew that but he hadn't expected the carefully laid strategy to be blown completely out of the water in just five seconds. Chaos instantly gripped the Rebel fleet as cruisers halted in place, a secondary wave of fighters having to narrowly dodge the first wave flying back. Ackbar was firing off orders to keep things together when an aide yelled out to him. Turning, Ackbar saw the holographic map of the Endor moon suddenly covered with large and ugly grey dots. "It's a trap!"

"No screaming shit, Sherlock!" Willow couldn't help snapping. From seemingly nowhere, dozens of Star Destroyers had appeared from behind the moon, the massive shape of the _Executor_ at the center. In seconds, the window seemed overwhelmed by TIE fighters and Interceptors flying at them, screaming out as they fired off lasers. Dozens of dogfights erupted as the two fleets clashed, fighters zipping past each other with red and green bolts criss-crossing about.

Like any true gambler, Lando was able to adjust his game plan to the sudden change. "Accelerate to attack speed! Draw their fire away from the cruisers!"

Willow bit her lip as he listened to the calls of various pilots over the comlink.

_"There's…too many of them!"_

_ "Two of them coming in, twenty degrees!"_

_ "Cut to the left, I'll take the leader!"_

_ "Red Four, watch out!"_

_ "I'm hit!"_

_ "They're headed for the medical frigate!"_

_ "Hang on back there…"_

_ "We've got five breaking through at point oh six, Green Wing, they're all yours!"_

Lando was throwing the _Falcon_ into a wide dive, sweeping around the elongated arm of the fleet's medical ship, the men in the cannon bays doing their job firing off the lasers on both the top and underside of the ship to take out a quartet of TIEs. Nearby, _Slave I_ was also flying fast, making its way right toward a pack of fighters. At the last moment, Fett threw his ship into a steep dive, firing something off from his rear. The metal globe flew into the middle of the pack before detonating, blasting the entire squadron apart.

_"Make a note, Calrissian," _Fett growled. "_I'm adding more to my bill with every fighter I take out saving my own ass!"_

_ "Gold One, permission to use friendly fire," _Kasen's voice came over the comlink, Willow feeling happy to hear her still alive.

"Put it aside for now, Red Four," Lando commanded as the battle continued and the space became chaos.

* * *

"I still say we need to find a better place to hide," See-Threepio was stating once more. He, Artoo, Faith, Mara and Wicket were on a small hill overseeing the bunker, behind some bushes.

"As much as I hate to say it, I think Goldenrod raises a point," Mara stated. "We're still too exposed."

"Chill, Red," Faith stated, her eyes on the bunker. One Rebel was outside it, clad in the armor of the remaining scoutrooper, keeping a regular eye on things. The rest of the team had entered minutes earlier, hoping to get inside to plant the charges quickly. Artoo let out a sharp whistle as Threepio stiffened. "Oh, no! Mistress Faith-"

"Please don't call me that, gives me very uncomfortable feelings."

"Madame-"

"That's not much better."

"Please, listen! Artoo is detecting a large wave of troops coming toward us with communications scrambling to bring them to our location!"

Mara and Faith shared a look before moving back, finding themselves a better spot after all, the droids quick to follow. The roar of speeder bikes came first, troopers moving in and pulling out their blasters. The Rebel seemed ready to speak but saw the guns aimed at him and realized there was no point in bluffing, raising his hands. Soon, more troops were appearing, many in regular armor as well as various officers in grey uniforms. One officer pointed to the bunker and a squad of stormtroopers quickly hustled inside.

"Oh, no!" Threepio said. "They'll be captured!"

Wicket was making a series of noises, pulling at the droid's arm. "He says that the Ewoks are ready to fight back if need be."

"That'll do a lot of good," Mara snorted.

"They might," Faith said as she reached into her pocket. "As long as they get a bit more support."

* * *

The commandos had just broken into the main control room of the bunker, Han in the lead to pull a pistol on the waiting officers and technicians. "Okay, get in the middle, in the middle!" he yelled out. Chewbacca was moving in toward them, his sheer size intimidating the Imperials to back up. Xander was already leading several troops in breaking out the bags of explosives to set them up.

Leia checked a scanner nearby and cursed. "Dammit, Han, the fleet's under attack!"

"All right, all right, get them set up!" Han was calling out, grabbing a bag just as another officer showed up, aiming a gun at them. "Freeze!"

Immediately, Han threw the bag, knocking the man over a railing toward the power generators below. But more were coming in, troops and officers emerging from compartments around the room, their guns aimed right at the rebels. "You rebel scum," one snapped as he yanked Han's blaster away.

Xander frowned as he was disarmed as well, glancing at Leia. Her face told it all, so devastated as the truth of the situation came over her. This had never been a Rebel opportunity, it had been an Imperial trap. They'd been the Alliance's last hope.

And they'd failed.

* * *

Boba Fett considered himself a practical man. He didn't take risks if there weren't proper rewards and he never indulged in something as petty as revenge. A job was just a job. But he had to admit, this battle was stirring up something in him. He actually felt a thrill as he sent his ship circling around a Rebel cruiser to blast a TIE apart. The old Mandalorian spirit deep within him was coming to the fore as he piloted his ship through the chaos of battle.

Lando was throwing his own ship into a wide dive and then spinning it around to take out a trio of TIE fighters. He was balancing it out when he caught sight of the massive fleet some distance ahead. "Only the fighters are attacking, I wonder what those Star Destroyers are waiting for."

"Somehow, I don't think we'll like it," Willow stated as they returned to the fight.

* * *

On the bridge of the Super Star Destroyer _Executor, _Admiral Firmus Piett watched the battle unfold. He was calm and reasoning as he listened to the reports of the battle and his men running about. He and his Fleet Commander were watching when another officer stepped up behind him. "All ships are in position to strike, sir."

"Hold here," Piett ordered, turning briefly.

His Commander frowned. "We're not going to attack, sir?"

"I have my orders from the Emperor, himself," Piett said with pride. "He has something…special planned. We're only to keep them from escaping."

He turned back to the viewscreen showing the battle, a soft smile on his face. This was history in the making and he was determined to be a major part of it.

* * *

The view of the battle was distant from the throne room but still quite clear, the bolts of red and green energy flashing about in between the various ships. "Come, children," he said, motioning to Buffy and Luke. "See the end of your fleet. Your friends on the moon have failed."

"Not yet," Buffy stated.

"Oh?" The Emperor smiled softly. "Well then. Perhaps it is time you witness the firepower of this _fully armed and operational battle station."_ He flicked a button on his console. "Fire at will, Commander."

In the main control room of the station, Jerjerrod nodded at the command. He felt a touch of sadness as this meant the end of the state of war he cherished. But the ability to cause mass destruction was more than enough to balance it out as he called out the orders to his underlings. Switches were thrown and buttons pushed and in the middle of the station, the massive reactor fired to life. On the outside, the dish glowed as five beams of light shot out from its edges, coming together to let a single beam fire outward. The green beam lanced forward, striking a nearby Rebel cruiser and instantly incinerating the vessel.

The flash of light from the explosion rocked through the cockpit of the _Falcon. _Lando blinked as he realized what had happened. "That blast came from the Death Star! That thing's operational!"

Willow's jaw fell at the sight. She realized the ship had been the _Liberty,_ the cruiser she had originally been set to be on when she decided to go with Lando. She'd known people on that ship, people know reduced to drifting atoms and more were ready to join them.

Lando was doing his best to recover as he leaned to the communicator. "Home One, this is Gold Leader."

_"We saw it." _Ackbar's voice was heavy with defeat. _"All craft, prepare to retreat."_

"We won't get another chance at this, Admiral."

_"We have no choice, General Calrissian! Our cruisers can't repel firepower of that magnitude!"_

"They can't," Willow softly said, her eyes narrowing. "I can." She leaned in. "Take us as close as you can to the Death Star."

Both Lando and Nein Numb gaped at her but Willow's face was marked with a determination that frankly scared Lando deep inside. He swallowed and banked the _Falcon _to the side and rocketed it high. Nien Numb was grumbling over their closeness to the monstrous station as Willow unbuckled her belt and rose up, placing her hands together. She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath and centering herself. She let herself reach out to touch that power, the one she'd long tried to distance herself from but now knew she had to touch. Because so much was riding on this, much more than just herself or even her soul.

_"You're more powerful than you can know, Will. You just have to believe it." _Buffy's words a while ago came to Willow as she felt that energy flow into her. But she also allowed herself to reach around it, to make sure she was the one in control, not it. She wasn't going to use it to its utmost, not now. No, she just needed enough…just…enough….

Her eyes snapped open, now deep black as they locked onto the dish before them. Her mouth moved but no words came out and yet something in her spoke at a volume higher than could ever be heard. Her hands extended toward the dish as she hissed and threw that power outward, letting it slide past the shield, past levels of metal and into consoles and reactors. She could see the sparks flying about and technicians yelping as they leapt away, startled, power conduits fading and screens going blank.

With a gasp, Willow fell back into her seat, heaving for breath. Lando threw the ship back toward the battle as he looked to her. "Are you okay?"

She sniffed, wiping away the blood dripping from his nostril. "Think…I slowed it down….But can't count…on being able…to do it again…."

"Then we use it," Lando stated as he moved back to the communicator. "All ships, this is Gold One. Move in closer to the Imperial fleet!"

"_Are you serious?" _Ackbar had to blurt.

"Yes, you heard me, get closer!" Lando yelled. "That way, that cannon comes back, they can't fire at us without hitting their own ships!"

_"At that close range, we won't last long against those Star Destroyers!"_

"We'll last longer than we will against that Death Star! And we might just take a few of them with us!"

_"No one has ever gone nose to nose like this!"_

"Great!" Lando said. "We're inventing a new kind of combat!"

_"We know nothing about the tactics of such a confrontation!"_

"We know as much as they do!" Lando yelled. "And because we're doing it, they'll _think _we know more!" Bluffing in your last hand was always dangerous but sometimes you had to take a risk to win. And Lando never played to lose.

Unable to fully bite his lip (due to not having teeth), Ackbar decided he might as well follow this strategy. "Tell all cruisers to head in, shields on high," he commanded. "Let's take the fight to them!"

The Rebel fleet began to move in as the lasers of fighters were joined by the blast of heavy cannons in a way no one had seen in the galaxy for decades.

* * *

Buffy and Luke were staring out the window at the chaos of the battle. Buffy couldn't help but smirk a bit at Palpatine's frown when he felt a shaking in the station. "Commander," he snapped into his comlink. "What is wrong?"

There was a very long pause before a clearly frightened Jerjerrod spoke up. _"Ah…my Lord. We appear to have a…malfunction. We are working our hardest to correct it…"_

"Sound like you still have some bugs to iron out," Buffy said with a smile.

Palpatine glared before hitting the console again. _"_Commander…When you are operational once more, on the chance the Rebels are able to destroy the shield generator, turn the station around to destroy the Endor moon."

_"But….My Lord….We have several thousand troops there…."_

"That is my command."

_"Yes…yes, my Lord."_

Palpatine clicked the console off and smiled. "There. A minor setback to be sure. Your Rebellion shall still be crushed." Luke glared at him and his eyes glanced to the lightsaber on the armrest. "Ah, you want this, don't you?" The Emperor said, stroking the hilt. "Your hate is so great. Take it. Use it. I am unarmed. Strike me down. Give in to your anger."

Buffy was flexing her fingers as she looked to Luke. She knew he was struggling, the lessons of Yoda against the temptation before him. She knew he was a good man deep down, wanting to do what was right. As for her…

She was the Slayer. She was in front of a monster. She knew her duty.

Her lightsaber flew off the armrest and into her hand as she ignited it. She swung it forward only for a snap-hiss to erupt and a red blade to cut off hers. Angelus was grinning wickedly at her as Luke let his own blade fly out to his hand. His attempt at Angelus was blocked as Vader's own blade met his.

In between the four lightsabers, Palpatine's smile was a terrible thing to behold.

* * *

The Rebel commandos were escorted out of the bunker into a now very crowded clearing. Hundreds of stormtroopers were assembled with various officers as well, several Walkers also circling the area, all with weapons aimed at the group. A pack of commandos were already been held prisoner nearby, including a trooper still in stormtrooper armor with helmet off. Xander sighed as he was marched forward with a crestfallen Han and Leia. "You know, seen a lot of movies with this situation."

"What happens next?" Han asked.

"Well, usually, the cavalry would be coming in out of nowhere."

"Don't think they got those horse things on this planet."

It was at that moment that Artoo and Threepio entered the clearing, both chirping away at each other. They stopped in place, staring out before turning to move as quickly as they could out of the way. "That was the opposite of helpful," Xander noted.

The droids came to a small hill where Mara stood, her hands behind her back. "I hope this works," Threepio said. Immediately, a group of troopers were there, aiming their rifles. "We surrender," Threepio said.

With no warning but a loud series of screeches, a pack of Ewoks fell from the branches above to tackle the stromtroopers. One shook an Ewok off and was about to fire his gun when a blur of motion came and a teenaged human female kicked him in the face, grabbing to throw him against a tree. Chief Chirpa and Logray arrived to see their fellow Ewoks pound on the troopers with axes and hammers to take them down.

High in the trees, an Ewok lifted a horn to his lips and blew a sharp war cry. Another Ewok in another tree took up the call as everyone in the clearing looked around in utter confusion. From the bushes all around, hundreds of Ewoks rose up from hiding and fired slews of arrows into the clearing. Some bounced off metal but others struck the less protected areas of stormtroopers, hitting necks and backs.

Never one to ignore an opportunity, Han grabbed the nearest stormtrooper and threw him around, grabbing his gun in the process. Chewbacca tossed his guard onto two other troopers while Leia kicked a man down and fired a blast up to strike the pilot of a Walker before he could duck back into his vehicle. Xander was rolling to grab a rifle and fire a blast when a blur of motion got his eye. He stared as a trio of teenage girls in modern-day clothing arrived, each moving with incredible speed as they attacked a group of troopers. In moments, the heavily-armored soldiers were on the ground courtesy of the trio. "Holy…"

"Nice, huh?" Xander turned to see Faith joining him, grinning as she fired a bolt off a crossbow. "I told you I could get some reinforcements if need be."

Xander watched as a Japanese teen leapt high, somersaulting before kicking two troopers down. "Slayers," he numbly said. "They're…all Slayers."

"Let's just say, we've upgraded lately," Faith smirked before going back to the fight. Around her, the battle was chaos as troopers took to bikes to take off after Ewoks with others heading out on foot into the forest.

Conventional wisdom would say that the Ewoks did not have a chance. The Imperial forces were crack troops, specially chosen for this job, several members of the infamous 501st division. They had the best in weapons and armor, highly trained and much better armed. They were larger than their opponents and lasers seemed no match for bows and arrows. This should have been an utter mismatch in every way imaginable.

However, conventional wisdom failed to take several factors into account. First of all was home field advantage. The Ewoks knew every inch of their world and how to use it. Many a trooper found that out as their chases led them to falling into traps of sharp wooden stakes and rock spears. Troopers on bikes literally ran into clotheslines left hanging up, limiting their ability to help. Indeed, the size of the troopers worked against them as they made the critical mistake of underestimating their enemy. After months of seeing their home abused and ravaged, the Ewoks were finally fighting back with all their fervor, their weapons more accurate and deadly when used. They were also using their surprise to their advantage as troopers brushed off arrow strikes until they fell to the ground gasping for breath from the poison on the tips.

It was rocks vs lasers. And the rocks were winning.

That was without the help the Ewoks were getting. Chewbacca had come to love these creatures, almost like country cousins and thus threw himself into a full-on Wookie rage against any stromtrooper unfortunate enough to be attacking an Ewok in his sight. For their part, a pack of Ewoks gathered together to do nothing but follow Chewbacca and throw themselves on any troopers who looked to be getting the upper hand with him. Then there was the aid of the Slayers, the girls quick on the attack and backing away as soon as they were done so troopers had no idea where to attack first.

The soldiers in the bunker had been smart enough to immediately slide the control doors shut as soon as things started going wrong. Han and Leia were moving to it, Leia firing her blaster as Han punched at the keypad. "Damn, they changed the code!"

"We need Artoo," Leia said, lifting a comlink to summon the droid. Han killed some time by firing off his blaster at every Stromtrooper in sight as the various Rebel commandos had grabbed what weapons they could find to take the fight to the Imperials. Mara was behind a tree, peeking out when a stray shot came her way. Her reflexes kicked in, yanking back so the blast struck at her throat. She gasped as she felt the impact, reaching up to the now-ruined collar. She broke it off and tossed it aside, rubbing her neck as she felt the rush as her connection to the Force was restored.

Mara looked up to see Xander ducking past a series of blaster bolts. A trio of stormtroopers were moving toward him, firing off their weapons as Xander found himself crouching behind a log, trying to keep cover. Mara just stared at him, cornered and on his own and the men she had once counted as allies ready to kill him.

"Oh what the hell?"

A trooper was drawing a bead on Xander when his rifle suddenly flew out of his hands. He was turning as he saw Mara coming forward, firing away, her red hair a flame behind her as she kept attacking, cutting down the three troopers in moments.

Xander was peeking his head over when he saw her looking down at him, those brilliant green eyes staring down at him with a blaster in hand. She grabbed him by the front of his shirt and yanked him up, pressing her lips on his hard. Xander was stock-still before returning it, Mara breaking it off to let him gasp for air. She grinned at him. "Get it together. We've got work to do." With that, she leapt into the forest to take the fight to the stormtroopers with a wondrous Xander staring.

Artoo and Threepio had just come to the bunker, the astrodroid moving to the console. He had plugged in his attachments to open the door when a trooper fired a blast right at him. Artoo wailed as he was sent flying back, smashing into the other side. He shook about before ever one of his compartments sprang open and he let out a low whistle. "Oh, Artoo!" Threepio cried out. "Why do you have to be so brave?!"

Han sighed. "Well, maybe I can hotwire this thing." He moved to the panel as Leia gave him covering fire with her blaster. In the woods, Faith was running to kick a stormtrooper down and smashed his rifle into the face of another. "Kennedy, tell them to watch it!" she yelled out as she saw the Walkers moving in. "Try not to get crushed!"

She leapt out of the way of an exploding bolt. Nearby, Ewoks were using catapults to try and knock some Walkers down, to little avail. Also, the attempts to trip up the Walkers pretty much just dragged the Ewoks along. But they weren't giving up, swinging on vines to knock troopers down and refusing to quit. It was a wild, strange battle.

* * *

Like their seabound counterparts of another time and place, the Rebel and Imperial fleets moved aside each other, each blasting away with everything they had. A Rebel cruiser on fire managed to limp close to a Star Destroyer before exploding, taking the Destroyer with it. Fighters of all types flew back and forth to take shots at the capital ships as each fleet tried the daunting task of damaging the other without taking as many hits themselves.

On the bridge of the _Executor, _Piett was shaking his head. "They're insane," he stated to his Fleet Commander. "They know they can't win."

"They have done damage to our communications ship, sir," his commander pointed out. "She is pulling back for repairs but they are intent on the attack."

"Increase power to shields and have our heavier ships move in flanking positions," Piett stated. "Up close, we have the superior firepower, we can wear them down and-"

"Sir!" a man at a nearby console called out. "We have ships incoming!"

Piett frowned as he leaned over the bridge and looked down at the pit area below. "From where? We sent for no reinforcements."

"Unsure, sir," the lieutenant stated. "They just dropped out of hyperspace at our rear! We're attempting to…." He stopped, staring at the readouts on the screen before him. "This…can't be right."

"What is it?" Piett demanded.

The man looked up. "Sir…those are….Dreadnaught-class cruisers."

Piett stared at him uncomprehendingly. He then turned his head to the window to see the dozen ships fly in, massive craft of a design unseen in decades. They were already opening fire, their blasts ripping into the rear of the Imperials, one Destroyer already in flames. He couldn't accept it but he could not deny it either.

"The _Katana_ fleet."

* * *

Aboard _Home One, _Mon Mothma stood at the center of the dais, staring in confusion at the holographic representation of the battle. She had been doing her best to remain calm as they realized the trap the Rebels had flown into but the sudden arrival of these ships was baffling. There was static before a strong and very familiar voice came over the main communicators.

_"This is Senator Garm Bel Iblis, offering my official services to the Rebel Alliance."_

Mothma blinked in amazement before leaning to open the line on her end. "Garm? I….we thought you were dead."

_"Just out of circulation," _the voice continued. _"As you can see, I brought some help. Amazing how many smugglers you can get for skeleton crews._" There was a pause before he continued. _"That is…if you want it…"_

Mothma smiled. "Engage at will, General Iblis."

Flying the _Falcon_ around a Destroyer tower, Lando shook his head in wonder as he saw the ships arrive. "I don't believe it…."

"What…where did those come from?" Willow asked, her eyes wide.

"Back before the Clone Wars, the Republic put together a fleet of 200 Dreadnaughts," Lando explained. "But things went wrong, a virus got loose and they all blasted into hyperspace. No one' seen them since, they became a legend. Hell, I spent time looking for them myself." He smiled. "And old Bel Iblis found them."

"I…heard he was dead," Willow stated.

"Evidentially not," Lando grinned as he threw the ship into a wide turn. "Which means the luck in this game has just changed."

The _Katana _fleet may have been several decades old but had been the top of the line when it was constructed. As such, they were able to take it to the Destroyers with powerful cannon blasts as several smaller smuggling craft zipped about to add their firepower to things. In moments, the Imperials had gone from the trappers to the trappees as the battle took a wild new dimension.

* * *

The criss-cross of lightsabers cackled throughout the throne room. Luke and Vader were battling down the steps as Buffy and Angelus moved toward the nearby bridges over the reactor pits. The clash of red and green blades produced loud flashes and light as the Emperor watched it all from his seat. "Yes," he whispered. "Such anger, such spirit…" Had anyone been paying attention, they would have seen it was Buffy his eyes were focused on, not Luke.

She was ignoring it, totally in the zone. She kicked at Angelus, knocking him back and moved in with a sweep of her saber. He blocked it, grabbing her and pulling, sending her flying off past the elevator. She rolled with the attack, somersaulting on the floor to come back to her feet with a fighting stance.

Angelus chuckled as he moved closer. "You really should just quit. Come on, think about it, you and me, together again, causing havoc on the galaxy! Makes for some hot times."

"Only hot time waiting for you down below," she spat.

He cocked his head. "You can't even see it, can you? You can't see how close you already are. You think killing me is gonna solve that?" He moved closer, his blade raised. "Killing in cold blood's not the Jedi way."

"Not a Jedi today. I'm a Slayer."

Angelus smiled. "And there we are. Oh yes, this will work. Your boyfriend there? Either he gets killed by his old man or he kills him and joins us. How about that, two boyfriends going evil after you sleep with them, gotta be something seriously wrong about you-"

Snarling, Buffy lunged, Angelus blocking her blows as she pounded away at him. They backed away, further from the main throne room, under several catwalks, so intent on each other that neither saw the flash of light from high above. Buffy kicked and punched Angelus before slashing away at him, the vampire ducking to let out a savage kick that knocked the wind out of her. He followed it with a boot to her face, holding his blade up for a beheading stroke. "Then again…We have far too many issues to work together now. Best to just end it."

"I could not agree more."

Both Jedi and Sith froze in place at the voice. It took a moment for each to register they were actually hearing it. Both slowly looked up at the figure standing on the catwalk above them. The dark trenchcoat billowed behind him as he twirled the large metallic sword in one hand. He leapt down to their level, reflexively brushing back his dark hair before letting a soft smile reach his lips.

"I don't know about either of you," the human Angel stated. "But I think it's long past time we finally settled all this."

* * *

** Don't worry, already working on next chapter so won't be another year and a half wait for it to be concluded. Thanks for your patience and all comments welcomed. **


End file.
